President Donald Trump freaked out at U.S. allies on Friday as “cowards” after begging for help in securing the Strait of Hormuz as energy prices skyrocket.
Trump, 79, also declared a victory in the war against Iran by claiming the U.S. had already won “militarily” and tried to downplay the danger of escorting ships through the crucial waterway as the disruptions persist.
“Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!” Trump ranted on Truth Social. “They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran.”
“Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices,” he wrote.
“So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!” the president continued.
But despite Trump declaring victory militarily over Iran, the U.S. is sending three warships with thousands more Marines to the region, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
Trump has repeatedly railed against NATO allies this week as the price of oil has skyrocketed. Brent crude oil, the global standard, hit nearly $120 a barrel this week before easing some.
Goldman Sachs warned Brent crude oil prices could spike to 2008 levels, when it hit around $150 a barrel, if disruptions at the chokepoint persist.
On Thursday, Trump complained in the Oval Office that NATO did not want to help defend the Strait, but he claimed, “Now they’re getting much nicer because they’re seeing my attitude.”
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s too late,” Tump declared.
Trump launched his strikes on Iran last month alongside Israel without consulting close U.S. allies.
On Thursday, the president, when questioned, appeared to confirm allies were not clued in ahead of the attack, but he argued it was necessary to maintain the element of surprise.
Earlier in the week, the president accused NATO of making a huge mistake. He claimed the U.S. did not need them, but they “should have been there.”
Leaders of European countries and other allies around the globe have been hesitant to provide support to the U.S. after it did not try to build a coalition in advance of its attacks, as it has in the past.
The Trump administration has insisted that the war is not going to devolve into an endless war or quagmire with no end in sight, but top officials have refused to provide a timeline or strategy for how to maintain shipping through the critical waterway long-term.
A small group of British military planners was sent to the U.S. to develop options to reopen the Strait, the New York Times reported on Thursday as the energy crisis escalates.
As the U.S. and Israel continue to target Iran, with Israel striking a massive Iranian oil field this week, Tehran took aim at Qatar’s major natural gas facility, in an escalation that threatens to spiral out of control.
