“It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” says U.S. president as Iran war drags on.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned NATO allies they face a “very bad future” if they refuse to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, pressing Europe to support an American effort to reopen the key maritime corridor.
In an interview with the Financial Times published Sunday, Trump said countries benefiting from oil shipments through the Gulf should help safeguard the waterway.
The U.S. and Israel launched a war on Iran late last month, triggered regional retaliation from Tehran. The Iranian regime has moved to close the Strait of Hormuz in response, driving up oil prices around the world and aiming to create massive economic pressure on Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fold.
“It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” Trump said. “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.”
Trump said allies could contribute naval assets such as minesweepers — vessels Europe has far more of than the U.S. “Whatever it takes,” he said when asked what help Washington expects. In recent days, he has namechecked China, France, Japan, South Korea and the U.K. as countries he expects to assist in the Gulf.
The remarks revive Trump’s long-running criticism of NATO. “We’ve been very sweet,” he said, arguing the U.S. had helped European allies over Ukraine and now expects support in return.
European governments have reacted cautiously to Trump’s persistent pressure to help him reopen the strait. Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he was “very skeptical” that expanding the EU’s naval mission would improve security.
EU foreign ministers are meeting Monday in Brussels to discuss a push by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to deploy additional ships to the bloc’s maritime mission.
Trump also pressed China to help unblock the strait before a planned summit with President Xi Jinping later this month, warning his trip to Beijing could be delayed.
The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a fifth of global oil shipments, raising the stakes for European allies as Trump presses NATO to take a larger role in keeping the strait open.