U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday described NATO allies as “cowards” for failing to support Washington’s call for military assistance in securing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump criticised member countries of the alliance, saying they had refused to join efforts to counter Iran’s influence in the region.
“Without the U.S.A., NATO is a paper tiger,” Trump wrote. “They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a nuclear-powered Iran. Now that fight is militarily won, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz.”
He added, “So easy for them to do, with so little risk. Cowards, and we will remember.”
Trump’s comments come amid shifting positions from Washington on the issue, as he has alternated between insisting the United States does not need assistance to secure the waterway and criticising allies for not offering support.
On Thursday, six major international powers, including Britain, France, Germany and Japan, said they were prepared to “contribute to appropriate efforts” to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. president, a longstanding critic of NATO, has intensified his attacks on the alliance in recent days, raising concerns about unity among Western partners over security and energy stability in the region.
