U.S. equities opened sharply higher Monday, but the rally weakened by midday as President Donald Trump demanded international help to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest cross-border tension underscores the lack of clarity on the U.S.’s strategy in Iran. Last week, Trump, while attending a ceremony for the fallen soldiers, declared, "We’re winning the war by a lot."

This week, he’s asking for help.

Speaking ahead of a Kennedy Center board meeting, Trump urged China, Japan and other Asia-Pacific nations heavily dependent on Hormuz oil flows to help police the waterway. China draws 90% of its oil from the strait, while Japan and South Korea draw 95% and 35%, respectively.

Trump is also looking to NATO for assistance, but so far, no country has confirmed whether they will send warships to help secure the waterway. In fact, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz explicitly stated that his nation would not participate in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Separately, Trump described Kharg Island, a key hub for the export of up to 90% of Iran’s oil products, as “literally destroyed” except for the oil pipelines. He warned the pipelines could be eliminated “with five minutes’ notice” and called Iran a “paper tiger now.”

Still, Trump is reportedly considering deploying ...