In a significant diplomatic development, former U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to grant American vessels free passage through the Suez Canal and provide support for ongoing operations against Houthi forces. The request came during an April 1st phone conversation between the two leaders, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Trump, who publicly maintains that the canal “would not exist without the United States of America,” faced immediate pushback from Egyptian officials. One Egyptian member of parliament dismissed Trump’s claims about the waterway’s existence, asserting it was an exclusively Egyptian achievement.
The discussion occurred against the backdrop of significant financial losses for Egypt, with the country reporting at least $7 billion in lost Suez Canal revenue by the end of 2024. During the call, Trump sought Egyptian backing for U.S. military actions against the Houthis, requesting military assistance, intelligence cooperation, and financial support. Trump argued that the U.S. bombing campaign would help restore normal traffic through both the Red Sea and Suez Canal.
President Sisi, however, deflected these requests, suggesting instead that a Gaza ceasefire would be the most effective solution to address the Houthi threat. The exchange marks an unusual reversal in the traditional U.S.-Egypt relationship, which historically has seen America providing approximately $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt since the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty.
The conversation aligns with private discussions among senior U.S. officials, revealed through a leaked Signal group chat earlier this year. In these discussions, Trump adviser Stephen Miller reportedly emphasized the need to extract economic benefits in return for U.S. efforts to restore freedom of navigation.
Relations between the two nations have become increasingly strained due to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. U.S. diplomatic personnel in Cairo have attempted to discourage the Trump administration from pressuring Egypt to accept displaced Palestinians. Egyptian
authorities have expressed particular anger over U.S. support for Israel’s May 2024 operation in Rafah, during which Egypt was accused of inadequate border control.
Further complicating matters, the United Arab Emirates, a close Egyptian ally, has been lobbying against Cairo’s proposed Arab League plan for post-war Gaza governance. Sources familiar with the situation indicate that the U.S. is considering reducing military aid to Egypt, primarily due to Cairo’s refusal to accept forcibly displaced Palestinians.
Egypt’s reluctance to join military operations in Yemen is not unprecedented. The country withdrew from a Saudi-led coalition targeting the Houthis in 2016, mindful of its complex history in Yemen. The Arabian nation has often been referred to as Egypt’s “Vietnam” by Arab officials, referencing Egypt’s costly intervention in Yemen’s 1960s civil war under President Gamal Abdel Nasser.
The Egyptian presidency’s official statement on the April 1st call described discussions about regional developments and mediation efforts aimed at restoring stability to the region, particularly emphasizing the impact on Red Sea navigation. However, this
characterization notably downplayed the tensions evident in the actual exchange between the two leaders.
This diplomatic tension represents a significant shift in U.S.-Egypt relations, traditionally one of the Middle East’s most stable partnerships, and highlights the complex interplay of regional politics, economic interests, and historical alliances in the current geopolitical landscape.