President Donald Trump of the United States has given NATO allies a very clear warning: if they don’t help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route that has been blocked by the growing US-Iran war, the alliance will have a “very bad future.” In recent interviews, Trump stressed that countries that benefit from energy flows from the Middle East, such as European partners and even China, must send warships or other support to protect the strait, which is a major route for world oil trade.
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. This has caused shipping delays, rising oil prices, and threats to the world’s energy supplies. Trump said this was different from US aid to Ukraine and said that allies who get American help should give back now. He wants to form a coalition to protect ships, but so far, Australia and Japan have not agreed to send ships.
Trump said he would “remember” that no NATO members have promised to help yet. The warning raises tensions in the alliance, which have already been high because of calls for more defense spending. Analysts see this as a way to get the upper hand in the 2026 US-Iran war, which could affect NATO’s unity and Trump’s ability to work with China.
