{"id":7184,"date":"2026-03-18T11:34:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T11:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/?p=7184"},"modified":"2026-03-18T11:34:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T11:34:01","slug":"trump-blasts-nato-and-allies-for-refusing-to-help-secure-strait-of-hormuz-calls-it-a-foolish-mistake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/trump-blasts-nato-and-allies-for-refusing-to-help-secure-strait-of-hormuz-calls-it-a-foolish-mistake\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Blasts NATO and Allies for Refusing to Help Secure Strait of Hormuz, Calls It a \u201cFoolish Mistake\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com<\/strong>
March 18, 2026<\/em> \u2014 Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

President Donald Trump unleashed sharp criticism at NATO and key U.S. allies on Tuesday, accusing them of making a \u201cvery foolish mistake\u201d by rejecting his repeated calls to join efforts in securing the Strait of Hormuz amid the escalating U.S.-Israel war against Iran. The vital waterway\u2014through which roughly 20% of the world\u2019s oil flows\u2014remains largely closed due to Iranian threats, mines, and attacks on shipping, driving global energy prices to surge and intensifying economic pressure worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking in the Oval Office during a St. Patrick\u2019s Day meeting with Irish Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin, Trump expressed deep frustration that \u201cmost\u201d NATO members and other partners had declined to deploy naval assets, such as warships or minesweepers, to escort tankers and reopen the strait. \u201cI think NATO is making a very foolish mistake,\u201d Trump declared. \u201cEveryone agrees with us, but they don\u2019t want to help. And we, as the United States, have to remember that, because we think it\u2019s pretty shocking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The president\u2019s remarks marked a dramatic shift in tone. Just days earlier, Trump had claimed \u201cnumerous countries\u201d were \u201con their way\u201d to assist and described the mission as a limited, collective effort benefiting oil-dependent nations in Europe and Asia. By Tuesday, after broad rebuffs, he pivoted to insisting the U.S. \u201cdoesn\u2019t need any help, actually,\u201d while still lambasting allies for what he called a betrayal of shared interests and alliance obligations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s push for international involvement stemmed from Iran\u2019s effective blockade of the strait following U.S. and Israeli strikes that began on February 28, including recent bunker-buster bombings on Iranian missile sites along the waterway. Iran has vowed to disrupt shipping in retaliation for the assassinations of top officials like former security chief Ali Larijani and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib. The closure has trapped Gulf oil exports, spiked prices to levels not seen since 2023, and raised fears of prolonged global inflation and energy shortages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

European leaders have firmly rejected offensive involvement. French President Emmanuel Macron stated his country would \u201cnever take part in operations to open or free the Strait of Hormuz in the current context,\u201d though France might contribute post-conflict. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized, \u201cThis is not our war; we have not started it.\u201d The UK, described by Trump as an \u201coldest ally\u201d long protected by U.S. spending, has limited its stance to defensive measures only. The European Union\u2019s top diplomat summed it up bluntly: \u201cNobody is ready to put their people in harm\u2019s way in the Strait of Hormuz.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NATO allies, including Canada, have similarly signaled reluctance to be drawn into what many view as Washington\u2019s unilateral escalation. Trump has long criticized the alliance as a \u201cone-way street,\u201d arguing the U.S. spends \u201chundreds of billions\u201d protecting partners who fail to reciprocate. He warned that refusal to help could damage NATO\u2019s future, calling it a \u201cgreat test\u201d for the alliance and hinting at potential consequences if the pattern continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rebuff has left the U.S. largely isolated in its naval operations in the Gulf. While some non-NATO partners like Australia or Japan have been mentioned in discussions, no major commitments have materialized. Analysts note the reluctance reflects broader skepticism toward the war\u2019s origins, concerns over escalation risks, and fatigue from past U.S.-led Middle East interventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s comments came amid other domestic turbulence: the high-profile resignation of National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent over the Iran policy, and ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Iran. Oil markets remain volatile, with partial flows continuing under heavy U.S. escort but at heightened risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the conflict enters its third week with no clear off-ramp, Trump\u2019s frustration underscores deepening transatlantic strains. Whether allies\u2019 stance weakens U.S. leverage or forces a reevaluation remains uncertain\u2014but for now, the president appears ready to go it alone, even as he decries the lack of support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juba Global News Network continues to track diplomatic developments, energy impacts, and the war\u2019s progression. Stay informed at JubaGlobal.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reporting contributed by correspondents in Washington, D.C., Brussels, and regional energy analysts. Statements cross-verified from White House briefings, European government sources, and international media.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By: Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.comMarch 18, 2026 \u2014 Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1199,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[830,643,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7184","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-breaking-news","category-more-articles","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7184","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1199"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7184"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7184\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7186,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7184\/revisions\/7186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7184"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7184"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}