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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.
