Trump Furious at NATO's Refusal to Help Open Strait of Hormuz: "Very Stupid Mistake"
US President Donald Trump has condemned NATO for refusing to send forces to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz in Iran. Trump stated that the United States does not require assistance after its allies rejected his call to join efforts to reopen the strategically critical waterway.
According to AFP, on Wednesday, 18 March 2026, Trump said that most US allies had rejected his initiative to escort ships through the vital maritime route. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that his country “will never” do so until the situation becomes calmer.
“I think NATO made a very stupid mistake,” Trump told reporters while hosting Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in the Oval Office at the White House.
“I have long said that I wonder whether NATO will ever be there for us. So this is a big test.”
However, Trump insisted that Washington is prepared to act alone against Iran, stating that even NATO allies have agreed that the Islamic republic needs to be confronted regarding its nuclear programme.
“We do not need too much help. We do not need any help,” Trump said.
Minutes before the meeting, Trump posted a lengthy message on his Truth Social platform asserting that US forces “no longer need” military assistance in the Iran conflict.
Trump stated that “most” NATO allies had indicated they do not wish to become involved, along with Japan, Australia, and South Korea, describing the decades-old military alliance as “a one-way street.”
“Because we have achieved such great military success, we no longer ‘need,’ or want, the help of NATO countries – WE NEVER NEEDED IT!”
The 79-year-old Republican politician has long been critical of NATO, and since returning to power in January 2025, he has pushed its members to increase their defence spending.
When asked whether he would reconsider US relations with NATO, as he has previously suggested, Trump said it was “certainly something we need to think about” but added: “Right now I haven’t thought about anything.”
However, Trump reiterated his criticism of his foreign counterparts on this issue, stating that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer “does not support it, and I think that is a big mistake.”
Regarding Macron, he merely said that “he will soon be leaving office.”
The US leader stated on Monday, 16 March, that Paris and London were ready to help, and said other unnamed countries had already participated. However, Macron confirmed on Tuesday, 17 March, that France would not participate in operations to open the strait in the current context, but said that France could participate in an “escort system” with other countries once the situation becomes “calmer.” Britain has also refused Washington’s request for assistance.
Iran has targeted energy facilities in neighbouring oil-producing countries and attacked and threatened tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which has nearly closed the vital waterway through which roughly one-fifth of global crude oil passes.