Trump slams NATO for refusal to aid his effort to reopen Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump launched a broadside against NATO Friday, saying the transatlantic alliance is a "paper tiger" without the US and sharply criticizing allies' refusal to aid his push to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

"They didn't want to join the fight to stop a nuclear powered Iran. Now that fight is militarily won, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don't want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices," he said on his Truth Social platform.

"So easy for them to do, with so little risk. Cowards, and we will remember!" he added.

Regional tensions in the Middle East have escalated since Israel and the US launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far some 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks across the region and has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to most commercial traffic, a key oil transit route that normally handles about 20 million barrels per day, and roughly 20% of the global liquefied natural gas trade.

The price of oil has skyrocketed amid the conflict with a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, sitting at $108.21 in early morning trading. That is up roughly 50% since the US and Israel launched the war.