Trump locks horns with NATO over Iran, says US ‘does not need’ allies to secure Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday lashed out at NATO, accusing the alliance of refusing to back Washington’s military operation against Iran, even as he claimed the United States had already “decimated” Tehran’s military capabilities and no longer required support from allies.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US had been informed by “most” NATO allies that they did not want to get involved in the ongoing operation against what he described as the “Terrorist Regime of Iran.”

“The United States has been informed by most of our NATO ‘Allies’ that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran… despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot… be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon,” he wrote.


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The US President said he was “not surprised” by the response, launching a broader attack on the transatlantic alliance and longstanding burden-sharing tensions.

NATO will do 'nothing' for America

“I always considered NATO… to be a one way street — We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need.”

Trump’s remarks come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where the US has been engaged in military operations targeting Iran. While NATO members have often aligned with Washington on strategic concerns, direct participation in such conflicts has historically varied.

Escalating his rhetoric, Trump claimed sweeping success for US forces, asserting that Iran’s military infrastructure had been effectively dismantled.

“Fortunately, we have decimated Iran’s Military — Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti-Aircraft and Radar is gone… and… their Leaders… are gone, never to threaten us… again!”

He further argued that the scale of US military success had rendered allied assistance unnecessary.

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“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID!”

Trump extended this stance beyond NATO, naming key US partners in the Indo-Pacific as well.

“Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea… WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”

The statement marks a sharp escalation in Trump’s criticism of US allies, reviving his long-standing argument that Washington bears a disproportionate burden for global security while receiving limited reciprocal support. It also raises fresh questions about alliance cohesion at a time of intensifying geopolitical tensions involving Iran.

Strait of Hormuz focus, but ‘no help needed’

At a press conference, Trump reiterated that the US did not require allied support even for sensitive operations such as securing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route.

“We don’t need too much help, and we don’t need any help, actually,” he said when asked about escorting oil tankers.

While noting that NATO countries had backed the objective of neutralising Iran’s nuclear threat, he criticised their reluctance to participate operationally.

“All of the NATO allies agreed with us, but they don’t want to help… despite the fact that we help them so much… they don’t want to help us, which is amazing.”

Trump suggested the US had already largely concluded the military campaign.

“That war has been largely prosecuted… almost from day one… We knocked out the navy essentially in a couple of days.”

Claims of decisive military blow against Iran

Doubling down on his earlier claims, Trump described a near-total dismantling of Iran’s military and leadership.

“We’ve wiped out their navy… Their Air Force is now decimated… they have no radar… Their anti-aircraft machinery is gone. Everything is gone. Their leaders are gone.”

He also claimed that key figures responsible for recent violence had been killed.

“The man responsible for the killing of 32,000 people… was also killed yesterday.”

Trump further argued that the US strikes had pre-empted an imminent nuclear threat.

“They would have had a nuclear weapon within one month… before we had the B-2 bombers bomb the nuclear sites.”

Middle East backing, NATO criticism deepens

Even as he criticised NATO, Trump highlighted support from key US partners in the Middle East and beyond, including Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Israel.

“The Middle Eastern countries have been very strong in their support… Israel has been very, very strong along with us.”

He contrasted this with NATO’s stance, calling it a “very foolish mistake” and questioning whether the alliance would support the US in a future crisis.

“I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us. This was a great test… they should have been there.”

Trump also defended his broader Iran policy, including his withdrawal from the nuclear deal under former President Barack Obama.

“If I didn’t terminate the Iran nuclear deal… you would have had a nuclear war four years ago… a nuclear holocaust.”

The remarks mark a sharp escalation in Trump’s long-running criticism of US allies and raise fresh concerns over alliance cohesion amid intensifying geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.