POBNEWS24, Desk report, Mar 16, 2026 : US President Donald Trump has warned that NATO’s future will be ‘very bad’ if US allies do not help open the Strait of Hormuz. He gave this strong message by calling on European countries to directly join the anti-Iran war effort. In an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump said that those who benefit from the energy benefits of the Strait of Hormuz should come forward to ensure the security of the region.
Trump said, ‘I think it will have a major negative impact on the future of NATO, if there is no positive response from them.’ Trump has criticized NATO in the past. He reminded that the US provided huge assistance during the Ukraine war, but now it is not getting allies to stand by its needs. He expressed his anger and said, ‘We have been saying for a long time that we are with them, but they are not with us when we need them.’
Trump made it clear that he wants help from allies at any cost. He called for the deployment of minesweeper ships and European commandos to stop Iran’s “provocations” in the Gulf, such as drones and naval mines. He also called on China. Trump said his upcoming visit to Beijing with China could be postponed if they do not help open the waterway.
Meanwhile, during talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the slow response of the UK. Although the US administration claims that Iran has been almost militarily destroyed, the risk of drone and mine attacks in the Gulf remains. Trump has again threatened that if necessary, a major new attack will be carried out on Iran’s main oil export center, Kharg Island.
At this stage of the war against Iran, global oil prices have risen by 45 percent to $106 a barrel.
