US President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál Martin at the White House in Washington, DC, US on March 17, 2026.
Ivan Vucci | reuters
President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized America’s NATO allies over their reluctance to get involved in the Iran war, before saying the US does not need any help in its ongoing military operations.
The alliance of 32 European and North American countries is “making a very foolish mistake,” Trump said during a meeting in the Oval Office with the prime minister of Ireland, which is not a NATO member.
Trump, a longtime critic of NATO, has accused the organization of taking advantage of America’s spending and military power, calling members’ hesitation to join the Iran war “a big test, because we don’t need them, but they should have been there.”
Trump has claimed in recent days that many countries will join alliance Aiding the US in Iran, including helping to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping route that has been closed due to the war.
he has Called on “The countries of the world that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz” so that “that route can be taken care of.” But so far, no NATO country has made a firm commitment to do so.
one in satya social post Earlier on Tuesday, Trump said he was “not surprised” at NATO because he sees it as a “one-way street – we’ll protect them, but they won’t do anything for us.”
“Due to the fact that we have had such military success, we no longer ‘need’ or desire assistance from NATO countries – we never did!” Trump wrote.
Oil prices rose immediately after Trump’s post, casting doubt on the possibility that a multistate coalition would reopen the key strait.
Trump also suggested in his Oval Office remarks that his much-anticipated visit to China to meet President Xi Jinping would take place in “about five or six weeks.”
Trump was expected to depart for the summit in late March, but his administration signaled in recent days that a delay was likely.
The change in schedules coincides with new unrest between the two superpowers, related to the war against Iran – a major seller of oil to China – and a new US investigation into Chinese business practices.