Trump Labels NATO Allies as 'Weak' and 'All Talk' in Scathing Criticism Over Iran Stance

US President Donald Trump labeled NATO allies as "cowards" on Friday for not meeting his request for military assistance against Iran to secure the Strait of Hormuz shipping route.

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Trump's stance has shifted between stating that the US requires no assistance to secure the vital waterway and criticizing other countries for their lack of support, with the President recently posting on his Truth Social network that "Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!">

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In the same post, Trump expressed frustration that NATO allies "didn't want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran" and are now complaining about high oil prices without being willing to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a task he described as "so easy for them to do, with so little risk".

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Trump's criticism of NATO allies comes as the 79-year-old Republican has long been skeptical of the Western military alliance, and has recently launched a series of attacks against it.

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On Thursday, six major international powers, including Britain, France, Germany, and Japan, announced their readiness to "contribute to appropriate efforts" to secure the Strait of Hormuz, but have not made a formal commitment to any mission in the region.

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Other allies, such as Germany and Italy, have ruled out taking any action before a truce is reached in the Middle East war, while none of the countries Trump has called upon to assist were consulted prior to the start of the US-Israeli mission.

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An effective Iranian blockade has brought commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to a standstill, impacting a crucial maritime chokepoint that normally sees a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas pass through it.

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Global oil prices have surged as a result of the ongoing war, which began on February 28 when the United States and Israel initiated bombing campaigns against Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with strikes across the Gulf region.