President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric against Western allies on Friday, labeling NATO a “paper tiger” and calling member nations “cowards” for their refusal to provide direct military support in the ongoing conflict with Iran. The outburst comes as the war enters its 23rd day, leaving the Strait of Hormuz—the world’s most vital energy chokepoint—effectively shuttered.
“Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. He accused allies of “complaining” about spiraling oil prices while failing to help secure the waterway. “COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!” he added.
The de facto blockade of the Strait has sent shockwaves through the global economy. Brent crude oil reached approximately $108 per barrel on Friday, a staggering 50% increase from the $70-per-barrel average maintained before hostilities erupted on February 28.
The closure has hit Asian markets particularly hard, but the secondary effects are now rattling the Western supply chain. Critical raw materials, including helium for semiconductor manufacturing and sulphur for fertilizer production, remain trapped behind the blockade, threatening a global shortage of consumer electronics and food.
Allies Hesitate on Military Escalation
While Trump demands a “simple military maneuver” to reopen the Strait, European and Japanese leaders have responded with caution. In a joint statement, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan condemned Iranian missile and drone attacks on commercial shipping but stopped short of committing to a U.S.-led naval strike.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer explicitly ruled out a formal NATO-led mission, describing the task of clearing the waterway—which Iran has reportedly littered with sea mines—as “not easy.”
“We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks,” the joint statement read, though it emphasized “appropriate efforts” rather than direct combat participation.
The Cost of Conflict
Since the war began, at least 23 commercial vessels, including 10 oil tankers, have reported being targeted by Iranian forces. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has maintained that the Strait will remain closed to “enemies,” a move that has effectively stripped 20% of the world’s oil supply from the market.
For Trump, the refusal of NATO allies to join the fray is a betrayal of the billions in U.S. defense spending that protects Europe. For the allies, the risk of being drawn into a wider Middle Eastern war remains a deterrent that even the threat of $200-per-barrel oil has yet to overcome.
