President Donald Trump on Friday called NATO allies “cowards” and dismissed the transatlantic alliance as a “paper tiger” without the United States, escalating a dispute over allied reluctance to join U.S.-led military efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing war with Iran.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump lashed out at member nations for refusing to contribute to operations aimed at reopening the vital shipping lane, which has been effectively blockaded by Iranian forces.
The strait normally handles about 20% of the world’s oil supply, and its closure has sent global energy prices soaring .
“Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!” Trump wrote.
“They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices,” he stated.
He added: “So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!”
The comments mark the latest chapter in Trump’s long-running criticism of NATO, which he has frequently accused of failing to carry its share of the defense burden.
But the timing has raised particular alarm among European allies, who are already grappling with the economic fallout from the conflict and have sought to avoid being drawn directly into hostilities with Iran .
Several European leaders have ruled out contributing military assets to secure the strait while active combat operations continue.
French President Emmanuel Macron said France would not take part in operations “to open or liberate the Strait of Hormuz in the current context,” describing the Iran war as a conflict the U.S. and Israel entered without consulting allies.
Just one day before Trump’s post, six major powers, including NATO members Britain, France, Germany, and Italy, along with Japan had signaled their “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts” to ensure safe passage through the strait, though they stopped short of committing to direct military involvement.
Germany and Italy have said they will not take action until a ceasefire is reached.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Thursday he was “confident” the alliance would find a way forward, but Trump’s remarks appeared to dismiss such diplomatic efforts.
The war with Iran began February 28 when the U.S. and Israel launched a joint offensive. Since then, Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes across the Gulf region, targeting infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
The conflict has killed an estimated 1,300 people, including Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
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