President Trump is publicly pressuring European nations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz themselves, signaling he may end the conflict with Iran without ensuring the crucial waterway stays open. The shift marks the third time in days he has suggested walking away from that objective.
In posts on Truth Social, Trump attacked the U.K. and France for refusing to support U.S. military operations, telling allies to "go get your own oil" and restore the roughly one-fifth of global oil supply that moves through Hormuz. He specifically challenged countries struggling without jet fuel to show "delayed courage" and take the strait by force.
"The hard part is done," Trump declared after four weeks of U.S. strikes on Iran.
The blunt messaging reflects genuine friction between Washington and its allies. Spain refused to allow U.S. military planes through its airspace. Italy blocked landings at one of its bases for aircraft heading to the Middle East. France rejected a U.S. request to let ammunition planes transit French airspace en route to Israel, a decision Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised at last Friday's G7 meeting and was rebuffed.
Trump singled out France in a separate post, writing "France has been VERY UNHELPFUL" and threatening "The U.S.A. will REMEMBER."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to call Hormuz reopening a core U.S. objective, instead framing it as a collective problem. "Other countries should pay attention when the president speaks," he said, noting that while America is creating conditions for the strait to reopen, "it is not solely a U.S. problem."
The positioning sets up a potential disconnect between Trump's public messaging and what the State Department has been negotiating behind closed doors. At the G7, Rubio told allies the U.S. does not need their help reopening Hormuz but wants them to join a multinational naval task force to police the waterway after fighting stops. The goal is escorting commercial ships and maintaining international presence to prevent Iran from controlling the strait.
European partners have shown selective cooperation. The U.K. allows U.S. air bases for Iran strikes and has helped Gulf states intercept Iranian drones and missiles. France has expressed willingness to lead a task force for post-war patrols.
But the public statements from Trump represent a sharp break from traditional alliance management. By insisting allies bear responsibility for securing one of the world's most economically critical chokepoints, he is essentially telling them that unilateral U.S. military action will not automatically translate into restored global oil flows.
The Strait of Hormuz closure would create cascading energy shortages for U.S. allies and global markets. Trump's position leaves European nations to consider independent military action or negotiate separately with Iran to restore passage.
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