NATO chief signals allies may act on Hormuz, warns of ‘unhealthy codependence’ on US
NATO’s chief signaled Thursday that European allies may move to help secure the Strait of Hormuz following talks with President Donald Trump — even as the White House declared the...
By Fox News · Fox News
NATO’s chief signaled Thursday that European allies may move to help secure the Strait of Hormuz following talks with President Donald Trump — even as the White House declared the alliance had already "failed" and was not being asked to assist. Secretary-General Mark Rutte, speaking at The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Washington a day after meeting Trump at the White House, pointed to a potential coalition effort among allied nations to keep the critical waterway open. "If NATO can help, obviously, then there is no reason not to be helpful," Rutte said. But a White House official pushed back sharply on the notion that the alliance would play any role. TRUMP SEEKS WARSHIPS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO HELP SECURE STRAIT OF HORMUZ "As President Trump said yesterday, NATO was tested, and they failed," the official told Fox News Digital Thursday. "He has zero expectations for NATO at this point and did not ask them for anything, even though it's a fact that they benefit from the Strait of Hormuz far more than the United States." The split messaging underscores a growing rift between Washington and its European allies over how — or whether — NATO should be involved in the escalating Iran conflict. Rutte framed the tension as part of a deeper structural imbalance, warning Europe’s reliance on U.S. military power had created what he called an "unhealthy codependence." MORE KEY US ALLIES BLOCK MILITARY FLIGHTS AS IRAN WAR RIFT WIDENS WITH TRUMP A European diplomat confirmed to Fox News Digital that Rutte conveyed Trump expects a plan from allies within days, underscoring the urgency behind U.S. demands — even as the White House publicly denies seeking NATO’s involvement. NATO also signaled the U.S. is pressing for concrete commitments. "The secretary-general is in contact with allies about his discussions in Washington," NATO spokesperson Allison Hart told Fox News Digital. "It’s clear that the United States expects concrete commitments and action to e…