Trump in the Strait of Hormuz is not giving up and is aiming for a sort of "board" of allies. Meloni: "A step forward would be involvement"

"We don't need anyone". It is a frustrated and increasingly isolated Donald Trump who unexpectedly appears before the cameras for an impromptu press conference ahead of a meeting at the Trump Kennedy Center. The options available to him for securing Hormuz and ensuring the flow of oil are risky and costly, as are the options for proceeding with the operation against Iran. And the support from allies to establish a coalition of ships to protect the Strait and its container transit, crucial for global trade, has not materialized. But The Donald does not seem willing to give up and is ready to play the card of a cartel of friends - "at least 7 countries are ready,” he said - to achieve the goal. A sort of "Board", like the one set up for Gaza, with the support of only a handful of states, without the participation of historical allies.

Trump tries to boost optimism in the press conference regarding the involvement of countries like France. But he knows it won't be that way. Tonight, on Rete 4, even Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pulls the handbrake. "What we can do now is strengthen the Aspides mission, so we are talking about the Red Sea. Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, clearly it is more challenging, because it would mean taking a step forward towards involvement. On one hand, for us, freedom of navigation is essential, which is also the subject of a statement made today with our partners. Intervening means objectively taking a step forward in involvement." The Prime Minister never mentions Donald Trump, with whom - according to official communications - there have been no contacts since the beginning of the new war in the Gulf. But she explains that "our bases in the Gulf are my primary concern."

Trump must provide answers, as the war with Iran has already entered its third week and the risks of an internal crisis turning against him, especially in view of the Midterm, are growing day by day. While his Maga world is also beginning to push for an exit strategy from the operation against the ayatollahs, the latest alarm has come from the big oil executives. American companies have delivered a grim message to officials in his administration: the energy crisis related to the war in Iran is likely to worsen, emphasized the CEOs of Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips, according to reports from the Wsj. But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tried to reassure. In a message primarily aimed at the markets, he explained that the United States is allowing Iranian tankers to transit through the Strait, implying that the flow is not interrupted. Words that had the desired effect: the prices of black gold fell, allowing the stock markets to breathe a sigh of relief and advance decisively in the hope of a quick clearing that would dispel fears of stagflation.

"I have been saying for years that if we ever need them, they won’t be there," explained Trump, voicing his frustration and a veiled anger at the refusal from allies. But he did not want to show signs of weakness and, on the contrary, tried to flex his muscles and display confidence. "Numerous countries are coming to help," he said, explaining that he had asked "seven" and anticipating that "Secretary of State Marco Rubio will announce them this week."

For Trump, the security of Hormuz is crucial, and one of the options available to the president is to have American ships escort the tankers (it would take two for each oil tanker). Another very costly option is the patrolling of the skies over the Strait by dozens of MQ-9 Reaper drones. The most expensive and risky alternative would be to take control of the Strait, but the operation would require thousands of soldiers and a commitment to keep them in the area for months.

As he considers how to proceed on Hormuz, the president continues to weigh the overall scenario and alternatives for the United States. That is, whether to continue fighting at the risk of American soldiers' lives and the economy for which he had envisioned a golden age. Or to withdraw while claiming victory but without having succeeded in permanently depriving Tehran of its nuclear program. A crossroads and two options that carry extremely high risks in the election year, with Trump, increasingly alone on the international stage, potentially finding himself abandoned even by his party and, in particular, by his Maga base.