President Trump put NATO allies on notice Tuesday after they shunned his request for assistance in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for international shipping.
Trump, both publicly and on social media, lashed out at European allies – including France and the UK – for their refusal to help and implied their defiance would have broader repercussions for the entire alliance.
“It’s certainly something that we should think about,” he told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if he would remove the United States from NATO. “I don’t need Congress for that decision, as you probably know, I can make that decision myself.”
The president has never been a fan of the Cold War era alliance, complaining, since his first term in office, that its members don’t pay an equitable share of dues and are too dependent on the U.S. for protection.
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“I’m very disappointed in NATO, very disappointed,” he said. “We spend trillions of dollars on NATO. Think of it, trillions over the years, many trillions of dollars. It’s one of the reasons we have deficits.”
The US is the largest financial contributor to the alliance, estimated at approximately $980 billion in 2025, accounting for 65% of its defense budget.
While vocal in his response, it’s unclear if Trump will confront the allies in person. The White House wouldn’t say if he plans on attending the next NATO meeting, which is will be held in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7–8.
Trump has been burning up the phone lines trying to get European countries to commit military hardware to keep Hormuz open for transporting oil. Specifically he’s seeking minesweepers to search the narrow strait for bombs and destroyers to protect transport ships.
But the response he received was a resounding no. And he expressed his anger about it.
“The United States has been informed by most of our NATO ‘Allies’ that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation,” the president wrote in a lengthy post on Truth Social.
“We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need,” he said of the Atlantic alliance.
He then pivoted to a defiant stance, saying the United States doesn’t need any help.
“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID!,” he wrote. “Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea. In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”
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The military consequences of the US going alone remain unclear. Trump has indicated the war could be over in several weeks but, without additional support, that timeline could be extended. The White House has been frantically trying to decrease gas prices – including releasing oil from the strategic reserves – but the average price at the pump rose to $3.79 a gallon on Tuesday, the highest since October 2023, according to the AAA.
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed by an Iranian blockade using mines, drones, and ships, halting 27% of global maritime energy.
With gas prices on the rise and oil surging above $100 per barrel, Trump has been trying to get the strait open again, leaving him furious at the NATO rebuff, according to his close friend Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
“Just spoke to [Trump] about our European allies’ unwillingness to provide assets to keep the Strait of Hormuz functioning, which benefits Europe far more than America,” Graham wrote on X.
“I have never heard him so angry in my life,” he added. “I share that anger, given what’s at stake.”
Trump’s online tirade came after French President Emmanuel Macron said Paris will “never” take part in American operations in the Strait of Hormuz while combat is underway.
“We are not party to the conflict and therefore France will never take part in operations to open or liberate the Strait of Hormuz in the current context,” Macron said during a government meeting.
Trump on Monday had given Macron an “8 out of 10” score on the issue and suggested France would assist.
But Macron said he and other European allies were worried they would get stuck protecting the strait long after the conflict ended.
“We are convinced that once the situation has calmed down — and I deliberately use this term broadly — once the situation has calmed down, that is to say, once the main bombing has ceased, we are ready, along with other nations, to assume responsibility for the escort system,” he said.
“Well, he’ll be out of office very soon,” Trump responded to Macron when asked about the comment in the Oval Office.
Macron’s second and final term as president of France ends in April 2027.
The United Kingdom also has been reluctant to commit. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that opening the Strait of Hormuz is “not straightforward.”
“You can see that historically when there’s been other conflicts that have affected the straits,” he said.
Experts say it could take weeks to make sure the strait is clear of mines, drones, submarines and other explosive devices.
Trump had words for Starmer during his meeting with the Taoiseach of Ireland Micheál Martin on Tuesday.
“He hasn’t been supportive, and I think it’s a big mistake,” he said.
