Trump Warns NATO Faces Bleak Future If Allies Refuse to Help Secure Strait of Hormuz

TLDR

• Trump warned of a “very bad” future for NATO if European allies don’t join efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz
• Iran blocked the strait after US and Israeli attacks, threatening roughly 20% of global oil supply
• Trump appealed to China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK to help reopen the channel
• Trump said he may delay his planned summit with China’s Xi Jinping over the issue
• A UK minister pushed back, saying this is “not a NATO war” but “US-Israeli action”

Donald Trump has warned that NATO faces a “very bad” future if European allies refuse to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway that carries about 20% of the world’s oil supply.

Trump made the comments in a telephone interview with the Financial Times on Sunday.

Iran blocked the strait after the US and Israel launched attacks against it. The closure has raised concerns about global oil flows and shipping routes in the region.

Trump said he is speaking to “about seven” countries about policing the strait. He appealed directly to China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK to join the effort.

Trump pointed to China’s heavy reliance on the route. Iran is a major oil supplier to China, and Trump said Beijing receives around 90% of its oil through the strait.

Trump was scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at a late-March summit in Beijing. He told the FT he could delay that meeting if China does not respond to his request.

High-level talks between US and Chinese officials took place in Paris over the weekend, ahead of the planned Beijing summit.

NATO’s Role Disputed

Trump’s warning puts pressure on European members of NATO to take a side in the conflict. But UK officials have pushed back on the idea that the alliance has any obligation to act.

Wider Conflict in the Region

Heavy bombing has been reported in Tehran. Iran and Hezbollah have launched missiles at Israel in response to attacks.

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and downed dozens of drones overnight.

Smoke was seen near the airport during the disruption.

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