U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at allies on Tuesday telling them to fend for themselves regarding oil supplies, adding to the pressure within the Western military alliance, NATO, whose members have not joined the U.S. and Israel in their war on Iran.
Mr. Trump accused allies of not being there for the U.S. and encouraged countries to take the oil from the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway bordering Iran that Teheran has mostly blocked off. The President’s messages came as oil prices have been surging and hours after the UAE’s authorities reported a drone attack on an oil tanker at Dubai port.
“All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT,” Mr. Trump wrote on the Truth Social site, early Tuesday morning Washington time.
“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!” Mr. Trump added.
In recent weeks, the President has been at odds with the position of U.K. Prime Minister on Iran and the fallout of the war, after spending the larger part of last year embracing Mr. Starmer and the U.K.-U.S. “special relationship” since his return to the White House.
Royals’ visit
However, Mr. Trump, in a subsequent post, said he “greatly respected” Britain’s King Charles III and looked forward to welcoming the King and Queen on a state visit to Washington at the end of the month. Buckingham Palace confirmed the visit. The U.K. government has used the British Royal Family as a diplomatic tool with Mr. Trump, including by hosting him for a second state visit in the U.K. last year.
Asked for a reaction to Mr. Trump’s statements, Downing Street directed The Hindu to Mr. Starmer’s words on a visit to Finland last week. There, the Prime Minister had focused on Russia’s war with Ukraine saying there was a “war on two fronts”, in Ukraine and Iran. Russian President Vladimir Putin was benefitting from the war in West Asia, Mr. Starmer had said, as he urged the harder pursuit of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ of oil-carrying vessels in European waters, circumventing Western sanctions.
“This is not our war and we’re not going to get drawn in to it,” Mr. Starmer had said on Monday, in reference to Iran, reiterating that the U.K.’s involvement was restricted to defensive action.
U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey, on a visit to West Asia, said on Tuesday that extra British troops and air defence systems would be deployed to the region, according to a BBC report.
Several European countries have disagreed publicly with the U.S.’s actions to varying degrees, with none joining the U.S. and Israel in striking Iran.
Remarks on France
Mr. Trump also took aim at France in his Tuesday posts.
“The Country of France wouldn’t let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory. France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran’ [ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social. The Hindu has reached out to the French foreign ministry for a response.
On Monday, Mr. Trump had threatened to destroy oil wells, power plants, Iran’s Kharg Island (an oil hub) and desalination plants, if Iran did not reach a deal with the U.S. and open up the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reiterated Mr. Trump’s message during a press briefing at the Pentagon on Tuesday. He said the world should “be prepared to stand up” and that it was not just America’s “problem set” going forward, claiming that the U.S. had done the “lion’s share” of opening up the Strait.
Published – March 31, 2026 05:32 pm IST
