A jilted Donald Trump took to Truth Social early Wednesday and threatened to create a new mess in the Middle East as payback for countries that didn’t support his first one.
The president, 79, intensified his criticism of NATO member states as they refuse to participate in efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most critical shipping routes through which about a fifth of global oil supplies flow. It was closed by Iran after the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes last month.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump aired a revenge fantasy aimed at allies he has accused of neglecting him in his time of need.
The president speculated on what would happen to the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. “finished off what’s left” of Iran. He suggested that doing so could push “non-responsive ‘allies’…in gear, and fast!!!”
He added: “let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so called ‘Straight?’”, appearing to argue that nations more dependent on the waterway should take responsibility for protecting it.
Trump has repeatedly argued that U.S. allies benefit from military protection in the region.
He added in a follow-up post: “Remember, for all of those absolute ‘fools’ out there, Iran is considered, by everyone, to be the NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. We are rapidly putting them out of business!”
The president also posted a New York Post op-ed, titled: “US allies need to get a grip – step up and help open the Strait of Hormuz."
The posts come after he publicly vented in the Oval Office on Tuesday over the lack of allied support, calling NATO’s stance a “very foolish mistake.”
“We don’t need any help” from NATO allies, Trump said on Tuesday, but added, “But they should’ve been there.”
“All of our NATO allies were very much in favor of what we did. They thought it was very important,” Trump continued. “Everyone agrees with us, but they don’t want to help. And we, as the United States, have to remember that, because we think it’s pretty shocking.”
The president also warned in an interview with the Financial Times that rebuffing his calls to help secure the strait “will be very bad for the future of NATO.”
Washington’s key allies have signaled that they won’t get involved.
On Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the U.K. would “not be drawn into the wider war, while Kaja Kallas, the E.U. high representative for foreign affairs, said, “This is not Europe’s war.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and NATO for comment.
