US 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.
According to Politico, in an interview with the Financial Times, Trump said countries benefiting from oil shipments through the Gulf should help safeguard the waterway.
The US 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 US “Whatever it takes,” when asked what help Washington expects.
In recent days, he has namechecked China, France, Japan, South Korea and the UK as countries he expects to assist in the Gulf.
