Trump Reacted To Allies' Refusal To Help The U.S.
- 17.03.2026, 19:27
The U.S. president has lashed out at NATO member states.
The United States does not need help from NATO member states in the Middle East, President Donald Trump said on his Truth Social media page. He called Washington's relationship with its allies "one-way traffic."
He said NATO nations do not want to intervene in an operation against Iran "despite the fact that almost every country strongly supports our actions" and believes Tehran should not have nuclear weapons.
"I am not surprised by their actions, as I have always considered NATO, where we spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year to defend these same countries, a one-way street - we will defend them, but they will do nothing for us, particularly in a time of need," Trump wrote.
He said the U.S. military has already destroyed Iran's armed forces, including the Navy and Air Force, as well as the Islamic republic's leaders, so the U.S. "no longer needs the help of NATO countries." The same, Trump noted, applies to Japan, Australia and South Korea. He concluded his post by saying that the US is "the most powerful country in the world."
After the US and Israel launched a military operation against Iran, the latter announced a halt to trade in the Strait of Hormuz, through which up to 20% of the world's oil and more than 30% of LNG passes. Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic Abbas Araghchi later noted that the strait is open to everyone except the U.S. and its allies.
The U.S. eventually decided to create an international coalition to escort ships in the Strait of Hormuz after its de facto closure by Iran. According to The Wall Street Journal, Washington plans to announce the formation of the coalition as early as this week, but potential participants in the mission have not yet decided whether it will begin amid or after the fighting. On March 15, Donald Trump said he was in talks with seven states - U.S. allies and major importers of Middle Eastern oil. However, he did not specify which ones.