WASHINGTON — United States President Donald Trump has warned that the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) could be “very bad” if the alliance fails to help reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
In an interview with the Financial Times published Sunday, Trump said countries benefiting from the vital shipping route should assist in keeping it open.
“I think China should help too because China gets 90 per cent of its oil from the strait,” he said, adding that he wanted to know Beijing’s position before a planned visit to China.
Trump also indicated he might postpone a planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“We might postpone it,” he said.
The remarks came as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng concluded the first of two days of talks in Paris aimed at resolving issues in the two countries’ trade truce and paving the way for Trump to visit Beijing later this month to meet Xi.
Trump said nations that rely on the shipping lane should contribute to safeguarding it.
“It is only right that those who are beneficiaries of the straits help ensure that nothing bad happens,” he told the newspaper.
On Saturday, Trump called on several countries to deploy naval forces to ensure the narrow passage remains open to commercial shipping as Iranian forces continue attacks following US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
He said he hoped countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea and United Kingdom would send warships to the area.
When asked what form such assistance could take, Trump said it might include minesweepers and other military assets to counter drones and sea mines.
“We are hitting them very hard,” Trump said of Iranian forces. “They have nothing left but to cause a little chaos in the straits… they are the beneficiaries and they should be helping us control it.”
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz following US and Israeli strikes more than two weeks ago.
The waterway, located between Iran and Oman, handles about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Trump also warned that Washington could launch further attacks on Kharg Island, a major hub for Iranian oil exports, saying US forces could target the country’s oil infrastructure if necessary.
“We can attack it in five minutes,” he said. “And they can’t do anything about it.”
The US president also criticised Britain’s response after speaking with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, claiming the country was slow to commit naval support.
“The United Kingdom is probably considered the number one ally… and when I asked them to come, they wouldn’t,” Trump told the Financial Times, adding that Britain only offered to send ships after US strikes had weakened Iran’s military capabilities.
