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Trump: 'We don't need help' from NATO reopening Straits of Hormuz

Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News on

Published in Political News

President Donald Trump Tuesday slammed European allies for refusing to help the U.S. re-open the strategic Straits of Hormuz that Iran has effectively closed to oil tanker traffic since the war erupted last month.

After days of browbeating NATO to assist, Trump reversed course and said the U.S. doesn’t need any help dealing with the effective blockade of oil exports through the waterway, one of the worst economic impacts of the conflict.

“We no longer need, or desire, the NATO countries’ assistance — we never did! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea,” Trump said on his social media site. “In fact… we do not need the help of anyone.”

Trump told reporters at a White House meeting with Irish premier Micheál Martin that he wouldn’t forget the reluctance of NATO allies to join the Israeli-U.S. war.

“NATO is making a very foolish mistake,” Trump said. “This was a great test. They should have been there for us.”

Trump’s flip-flop over the Straits of Hormuz came after he spent days trying to wrangle support from allies and rivals like China alike.

Iran’s grip on the crucial waterway has sparked growing concerns about a global energy crisis and driven up gas prices by nearly 25% for American consumers. About 20% of the world’s oil supply is transported out of the Persian Gulf through the straits.

Iran says it won’t allow any shipping tied to the U.S. or its allies to use the straits, a threat that has effectively closed it.

Trump’s top White House economic adviser downplayed concerns that skyrocketing energy costs could hurt struggling American consumers.

“We’d have to think about what we’d have to do about that, but that’s really the last of our concerns right now,” Kevin Hassett said on CNBC.

 

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, accused him of insensitivity about the impact of the war on the sputtering economy.

“The Trump administration has once again said the quiet part out loud,” Jeffries said.

Western allies mostly didn’t support the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and believe it’s not their responsibility to get involved to deal what they see as a completely foreseeable consequence of unleashing the war.

President Emmanuel Macron said France is ready to help secure the Strait of Hormuz but only as part of a mission separate from the war.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would only consider getting involved if allies agree to join the effort.

China, an ally of Iran, did not respond to Trump’s call for assistance.

Trump said a planned summit with Premier Xi Jinping has been postponed for several weeks in a sign that tensions from the war are spreading.

_____


©2026 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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