US President Donald Trump told his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in a phone call in early April that he wanted to ensure free passage of US ships through the Suez Canal, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, citing its sources.
Trump expressed his intention to seek Cairo's support for operations against the Houthis in the form of military aid, intelligence sharing or funding, but Sisi refused, calling the ceasefire in Gaza “the best way to stop the Houthis“, the sources said.
White House National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt told the newspaper that the US freedom of shipping in the Red Sea would “benefit partner countries around the world, including Egypt“. “The burden of a successful military operation against the Houthis must be shared, and free transit of American ships through the Suez Canal is one way to share that burden,“ the newspaper quoted Hewitt as saying.
According to the media, during a visit to Washington this spring, Egyptian officials were warned that the US administration could significantly reduce economic support provided to Cairo.