Trump issues stark warning to NATO over blocked Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump warned that NATO faces a “very bad” future if American allies do not assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil route that Iran has effectively blocked amid the Middle East conflict, in a brief interview with the Financial Times on March 15.

Trump noted that as the US supports Ukraine in its war with Russia, he expects Europe to help with the Strait of Hormuz, whose closure has driven a sharp rise in global energy prices.

“If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO,” Trump said, continuing his long-standing criticism of the alliance for benefiting from US generosity.

Trump, in an eight-minute call with the Financial Times, made the remarks a day after urging China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK to join a “team effort” to reopen the vital chokepoint that carries a fifth of the world’s oil.

Iran effectively closed the strait following the US and Israel’s military action over two weeks ago, raising concerns of another oil price shock for the global economy. 

US attempts to reopen the passage have mostly failed, with international oil prices reaching $106 per barrel on the evening of March 15, up roughly 45% since the war began.

By Jeyhun Aghazada