Donald Trump drew a backlash on Sunday for suggesting US efforts to protect the strait of Hormuz were unnecessary – and that “maybe we shouldn’t even be there at all” because his country has plenty of oil of its own.

The president made the contradictory comment to reporters on Air Force One after pleading with European and Nato allies to enter the war against Iran to help the US secure the strait amid the largest oil supply disruption in history.

“Really, I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory – because it is their territory,” he said.

“They should come and they should help us protect it. You could make the case that maybe we shouldn’t even be there at all, because we don’t need it. We have a lot of oil. We’re the number one producer anywhere in the world times two.”