‘Cowards’: Trump slams NATO over lack of support in US–Israel war on Iran
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The Bottom Line
Trump calls NATO allies "cowards" for not supporting U.S. military operations against Iran and demands help securing Strait of Hormuz.
AI Summary
President Trump criticized NATO allies as "cowards" for failing to support U.S. military operations against Iran, according to his remarks on the conflict with Israel. Trump is demanding that allied nations help secure shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil commerce, as NATO simultaneously relocates personnel from Iraq. The demand underscores escalating tensions between the Trump administration and its traditional European partners over burden-sharing in Middle Eastern conflicts. Trump has repeatedly pressed NATO members to increase defense spending and military contributions to American-led operations abroad. The criticism comes as the administration weighs broader implications for alliance commitments in the region.
What's Being Done
Trump is demanding that NATO members help secure shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz and increase military contributions to American-led operations.
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PoliticsTrump calls NATO "cowards" over lack of support in Iran war - Reuters
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimAFBVV95cUxOMkFlM1VHM0txVDRyak1raV9VcnE2N2VvUGtGZ0h2Q3JSbTgzS1FVQ1Y2cGRUS2xBYXFKYmlTRV90d25CM3BTRGlhUG9mUjRldV9hbC1uZEtRY3BBbTY0OWpIQWxZTTFxcXIxZ0h6cGhkZ0FMdXJzWE1MdWotWXJOWktqRmZDcmg4YURseGNDWmx5bC00ZjRMUg?oc=5" target="_blank">Trump calls NATO "cowards" over lack of support in Iran war</a> <font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>
GlobalAnswering Trump's call for help in Middle East 'political suicide' for allies
President Donald Trump urged NATO partners and China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz as it remains closed due to the ongoing war in the Middle East triggered by the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. FRANCE 24's Oliver Farry looks at why Trump's plan could be easier said than done.
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<p>Trump claimed on Truth Social that he had known nothing about the targeting of Iran’s gas reserves in advance – key US politics stories from 19 March 2026 at a glance</p><p>The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-israel-war-on-iran">US-Israeli war</a> against Iran has exposed further divisions between the two countries after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/18/iran-intelligence-minister-esmail-khatib-killed-israel-claims">an Israeli strike on Iran’s largest gasfield angered US allies in the Gulf</a> and prompted Donald Trump to say he knew nothing in advance about the attack – a claim that Israeli officials disputed.</p><p>Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said he had spoken to Benjamin Netanyahu following the strikes on Iran’s South Pars gasfield – part of a reserve shared with Qatar – and had told the Israeli prime minister to refrain from further attacks that could escalate a regional war on energy infrastructure.</p> <a href="https://...
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President Trump said Tuesday that he's "disappointed in NATO" as he pushes for the alliance to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. CBS News White House reporter Olivia Rinaldi has more.
National SecurityEx-counterterrorism official says he wasn't allowed to share concerns about Iran war with Trump - AP News
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National SecurityTrump mulls risky Kharg Island takeover to force Iran to open strait
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