Trump: The U.S. Does Not Need the Strait of Hormuz

During his address, President Donald Trump emphasized that the United States is in an excellent position as it does not import oil through the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently blocked by Iran. This statement was a significant part of his comments published in an article by the European Truth publication.

Trump asserted that the U.S. has no intention of restoring passage through this critical waterway, and countries that rely on the strait must take responsibility for its security. "The United States barely imports oil through the Strait of Hormuz and will not be importing it in the future. We do not need it... And the countries of the world that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz should take care of this strait. They need to protect it. They need to seize it and safeguard it. They could do this easily," Trump stated.

He further added that the U.S. could be "helpful" in such operations, but the initiative must come from other nations. The American leader reminded that countries unable to obtain fuel have two options: either buy oil from the United States or "go and take it" from the Strait of Hormuz. "So to those countries that cannot get fuel, many of which refuse to participate in decapitating Iran – we had to do it ourselves – I have a suggestion. Number one, buy oil from the United States of America. We have plenty of it. We have so much. And secondly, muster a bit of late courage. You should have done this earlier. You should have done this together with us, as we asked. Go right in and just take it, protect it, use it for yourselves," Trump emphasized.

The U.S. President also assured that such an operation should be relatively easy, as he claimed that Iran is "effectively destroyed." He noted that if the situation does not change, the strait will "open naturally" after military actions conclude.

It is important to note that the issue of unblocking the Strait of Hormuz has sparked a new wave of tension in relations between the United States and its NATO allies. Trump insists that countries, especially European ones, should participate in the military protection of this vital waterway.

In a recent interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph, Trump also mentioned that he is seriously considering the possibility of the United States withdrawing from NATO, calling the North Atlantic Alliance a "paper tiger." According to the Financial Times, the U.S. President threatened European allies to halt arms supplies to Ukraine under the PURL program if they do not join the operation to unblock the Strait of Hormuz.

Thus, Trump's stance on the Strait of Hormuz underscores the growing tension between the U.S. and its allies, while also calling into question the future of international cooperation in ensuring security in the region.