New York, March 20 (IANS) The rift between US President Donald Trump and NATO deepened on Friday as he called members of the pact “cowards” and warned that he would “remember” their refusal to help open the Strait of Hormuz.

“Without the USA, NATO IS A PAPER TIGER,” he wrote on Truth Social.

He said NATO allies complain about high oil prices but refuse to help open the Strait of Hormuz, which he described as a simple military manoeuvre and the single reason for high prices.

Trump’s stance threatens to unravel NATO, the bulwark of collective Western defence since World War II. He has vacillated on the roles of allies while hurling insults.

On Tuesday, he declared, “We don’t need any help, actually,” but also sought assistance, at least in the form of minesweepers to keep the strait navigable.

As the Iran war spiralled beyond expectations, Tehran put a chokehold on the strait, about 40 kilometres wide, through which 20 per cent of the world’s energy passes, creating a global shortage of oil and gas. Energy prices have risen worldwide, including in the US, hitting Trump’s affordability agenda.

Trump called for NATO help to secure the strait after entering the war, aligned with Israel and without consulting allies, initially refusing Britain’s offer to send aircraft carriers. European allies have described the Iran conflict as a war of choice, not a defensive operation.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron said, “We are not party to the conflict and therefore France will never take part in operations to open or liberate the Strait of Hormuz in the current context.”

On Tuesday, Trump said, “The United States has been informed by most of our NATO ‘Allies’ that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran.”

The US pays a proportionately higher share of NATO’s $3.3 billion budget, contributing 16 per cent.

Trump has long complained that NATO does not do its part in joint defence and has demanded that members raise defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP. Except for Spain, NATO members have agreed to the target.

Besides plunging into the Iran conflict without consulting allies, NATO members see the war as not involving them militarily, as their primary concern is Europe’s security, endangered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Trump, however, is focused on priorities in the Middle East and Latin America, even as he has threatened to invade NATO members Canada and Denmark to seize Greenland.

He has criticised Europe’s defence of Ukraine and repeatedly accused Kyiv of failing to make a deal with Russia to end the war, now in its fourth year.

–IANS

–al/dan