On Monday, CNN’s Kasie Hunt showcased a video compilation revealing Donald Trump making conflicting statements within minutes regarding the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, a situation stemming from his conflict with Iran.
Trump’s call for traditionally allied nations to deploy warships to assist the U.S. Navy in securing the strategic passage off Iran’s coast, which handles about 20% of the world’s oil shipments, has largely been met with tepid responses.
In the footage, Trump seemed to grapple with this reality as it unfolded.
12:21 p.m.: If we ever needed help, they won’t be there for us. I’ve just known that for a long period of time.
12:53 p.m.: We have some that are really enthusiastic. They’re coming already.
12:54 p.m.: This is a need, need would be one of the big boys.
12:55 p.m.: If we need their mine boats or if we need anything, any piece of apparatus that they may have because of a situation that they have, they should be jumping to help us.
12:19 p.m.: We want them to come and help us with the Strait.
12:56 p.m.: My attitude is, we don’t need anybody. We’re the strongest nation in the world. We have the strongest military by far in the world. We don’t need them.
The clip concluded with Hunt inquiring: “Did you follow that?”
“We had a hard time following that,” she confessed, before emphasizing:
“Let’s underscore. We’re now more than two weeks into this war. Oil and gas prices only climbing, the national average now $3.70 a gallon for gas. That is more than 75 cents higher than it was just a month ago. That has the administration looking for any way to get more oil flowing as soon as possible.”
