President Donald Trump rated French President Emmanuel Macron an '8' out of 10 for support in a coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz during an exchange with a French reporter on Monday. Trump expressed confidence in France's help while stressing that the US does not need allies' assistance. The comments highlight mixed signals as other NATO members decline involvement in the US operation against Iran.
On March 16, 2026, President Donald Trump fielded a question from a French reporter about contact with Emmanuel Macron regarding a coalition to force the Iranian regime back and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil tankers carrying about one-fifth of the world's oil supply. Trump confirmed he spoke with Macron yesterday, rating him 'an 8' on a scale of 0-10. 'Not perfect — but it’s France,' Trump said with a laugh. 'We don’t expect perfect.' Asked if he was confident France would help, Trump replied, 'Yeah, I mean, sure. He’s going to — I think he’s going to help, I’ll let you know.' He added, 'I don’t do a hard sell on them, because 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!'
