Donald Trump brands NATO ‘cowards’ in outburst – ‘We’ll remember!’ | World | News
As tensions between the US President and the Western defense alliance boil over, Donald Trump has launched a fierce attack on NATO.
The US President wrote on Truth Social: “Without the US, NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! They did not want to join the fight to stop Nuclear Iran. Now that fight has WON Militaryly, there is little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but they do not want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, which is a simple military maneuver which is the sole reason for the high oil prices. It is very easy for them to do this with very little risk. COWARDS and President DONALD J. WE WILL REMEMBER TRUMP.”
This harsh attack came at a time when the US-Israeli war with Iran has been going on for three weeks. Approximately 1,300 people, including the then-Religious Leader Ali Khamenei, lost their lives in the joint attack launched on February 28.
Iran is retaliating by launching attacks on several middle eastern countries, including Dubai. It also responded with drone and missile attacks on the region, effectively halting most commercial movements in the Strait of Hormuz.
This vital chokepoint normally carries around 20 million barrels of oil a day, as well as about a fifth of the world’s shipments of liquefied natural gas, making the disruption particularly significant.
Amid the ongoing conflict, oil prices rose as global benchmark Brent crude traded at $108.21 per barrel in the markets in the early morning hours.
This represents an increase of nearly 50% since the US and Israel launched their military action and underlines how quickly geopolitical tensions can disrupt global energy supplies and increase costs.
As the conflict deepens, the US President, long a skeptic of the Western military alliance, has recently intensified his criticism of NATO.
Meanwhile, six major international powers, including Britain, France, Germany and Japan, announced their readiness to support efforts to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz.
But neither has officially taken any specific role in the vital waterway, and some allies such as Germany and Italy have said they will not take any action until a ceasefire is reached in the Middle East conflict.
