Trump: NATO “making a very foolish mistake”

President Trump said Tuesday the U.S. does not need help from its NATO allies to secure the Strait of Hormuz, days after calling on them to assist in reopening the critical waterway that has been largely shut down since the Iran war began late last month.

"We don't need too much help, and we don't need any help actually," he said during an Oval Office meeting with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin. "Despite the fact that we help them so much ... they don't want to help us, which is amazing."

The president said NATO members were "very much in favor" of the U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran, and that he was "surprised" they did not want to get involved themselves.

"I think NATO's making a very foolish mistake," he said. "And I've long said that, you know, I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us. So, this was a great test, because we don't need them, but they should have been there."

Over the couple days, the president has publicly called on NATO allies, as well as Japan, South Korea and Australia, to help police the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world's oil is transported, after Iran used drones, missiles and mines to close the channel to tankers.

But top U.S. allies rebuffed the calls, saying they have no immediate plans to send ships, with several saying it was not their war to fight, nor were they consulted before the operations began.

"Everyone agrees with us, but they don't want to help," the president said. "And we, you know, we as the United States have to remember that because we think it's pretty shocking."

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