Trump Says Strait Of Hormuz Is The World’s Problem: ‘go Get Your Own Oil!’

President Donald Trump had a message on Tuesday for U.S. allies whose access to oil has been imperiled by the White House’s war against Iran: You’re on your own.

“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,” he wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.

The critical waterway, through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply typically travels, has been all but cut off by Iran since Israel and the U.S. launched their joint operation in late February.

Oil prices have surged since the start of the war; the average price for gasoline in the U.S. crossed the $4-a-gallon mark on Tuesday, the highest level since 2022.

But NATO partners, including the European Union, have largely refused to help secure the strait. “This is not Europe’s war,” Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, said earlier in March.

The response from longtime American allies has left the president fuming. He has openly questioned the future of the defensive alliance and derided European partners, including the United Kingdom and France.

“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,” he wrote Tuesday. “Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!”

While touting positive progress in negotiations with Iran earlier this week, Trump threatened to blow up and “completely” obliterate Tehran’s energy infrastructure if it did not “immediately” reopen the Strait.

Later on Tuesday, Trump told CBS News that the White House did not plan to immediately withdraw its resources from the strait.

"At some point I will, not quite yet, but countries have to come in and take care of it," he said. "Iran has been decimated, but they're going to have to come in and do their own work."

European allies, meanwhile, have been left befuddled by the president’s “absurdly incoherent” messaging. The Trump administration previously pressed them to take care of their own backyard — particularly Russia’s war on Ukraine — but is now seeking their help in a conflict thousands of miles away.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth concurred with the president in a Tuesday press briefing, his first in nearly two weeks. Trump, he said, has been “willing to do the heavy lifting on behalf of the free world to address this threat of Iran.”

"There are countries around the world who ought be prepared to step up on this critical waterway as well. It's not just the United States Navy,” said Hegseth. “Last time I checked, there was supposed to be a big, bad Royal Navy that could be prepared to do things like that as well. He's pointing out this is an international waterway that we use less than most.“

Audrey Decker contributed to this report.