US Leader, Donald Trump has warned that NATO could face a “very bad” future if US allies fail to assist Washington in reopening the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Speaking during an interview, the US president urged allied nations to contribute to efforts to secure the key shipping route, which is vital to global oil supplies.
“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, arguing that Europe and China depend far more on Gulf oil shipments than the United States.
“If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO,” he added.
The warning came after Trump appealed to several major economies — including China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom — to join a coordinated effort to reopen the narrow waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, with roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments passing through it. Tensions around the route escalated after military strikes by the US and Israel on Iranian targets more than two weeks ago, prompting Tehran to restrict shipping activity in the area.
The disruption has rattled global energy markets, with oil prices rising sharply since the conflict began.
Despite his appeal for assistance, Trump expressed doubts that allies would respond quickly.
“We have a thing called NATO,” he said. “We’ve been very sweet. We didn’t have to help them with Ukraine. Ukraine is thousands of miles away from us. But we helped them. Now we’ll see if they help us.”
Asked what type of assistance he expected, Trump said allies should be ready to provide “whatever it takes,” including naval assets such as minesweepers to clear potential sea mines in the Gulf.
He also suggested the need for military forces capable of neutralising threats along Iran’s coastline, including drones and naval mines.
Trump said he also expects Beijing to help stabilise the shipping route before his planned visit to China later this month for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The summit could be delayed if progress is not made.
“I think China should help too because China gets most of its oil from the Strait,” Trump said, adding that waiting until the summit would be too late.
The US president also voiced frustration with Britain’s response following a phone conversation with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying London was slow to commit naval support.
Trump further warned that the United States could launch additional strikes on Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, and potentially target key oil infrastructure if tensions escalate further.
The conflict has already affected several allied forces operating in the region. A French soldier was reportedly killed in an Iranian drone strike in Iraq, while an Italian aircraft was destroyed at a military base in Kuwait.
Trump also addressed reports that Russia may be assisting Iran with satellite intelligence, saying he could not confirm the claims but acknowledged the complexities of global military alliances.
The escalating crisis has raised fears of a broader regional confrontation and renewed concerns about the stability of global energy supplies if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted.
