Donald Trump has warned that Nato faces a “very bad” future if US allies fail to assist in opening up the Strait of Hormuz, sending a blunt message to European nations to join his war effort in Iran.
The US president told the FT in an interview on Sunday that he could also delay his summit with China’s President Xi Jinping later this month as he presses Beijing to help unblock the crucial waterway.
“It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the Strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” Trump said, arguing that Europe and China are heavily dependent on oil from the Gulf, unlike the US.
🚨 BREAKING: Donald Trump threatened to postpone his visit to Beijing if China does not help reopen the Strait of Hormuz — Financial Times. pic.twitter.com/LFFhwO9WGt
— Globe Observer (@_GlobeObserver) March 16, 2026
BREAKING: Trump warns Nato faces 'very bad' future if allies do not help secure Strait of Hormuz, per BBC
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) March 16, 2026
BREAKING: Trump may postpone scheduled China trip if China does not agree to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
— Polymarket (@Polymarket) March 16, 2026
*BESSENT: OIL PROBABLY 'MUCH LOWER' THAN $80 IN A COUPLE MONTHS
*BESSENT: CHINA WAS GOING TO GET SANCTIONED RUSSIA OIL ANYWAY
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) March 16, 2026
BREAKING: Every country has REFUSED to help Trump REOPEN the Strait of Hormuz
🇩🇪 Germany: “What does Trump expect from a handful of European frigates that the powerful US Navy can’t do? This is not our war, and we didn’t start it”
🇦🇺 Australia: “We won’t be sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz”
🇬🇧 UK: “Reopening the Strait is not a simple task. The UK will not be drawn into a wider war”
🇫🇷 France: “There is no question of sending any vessels to the Strait of Hormuz”
🇯🇵 Japan: “Circumstances do not warrant military participation from Japan”
🇰🇷 South Korea: “We are closely monitoring President Trump’s remarks”
🇨🇳 China: No Comment (to be expected)
🚨🇺🇸🇮🇷 BREAKING: Every country has REFUSED to help Trump REOPEN the Strait of Hormuz
🇩🇪 Germany: "What does Trump expect from a handful of European frigates that the powerful US Navy can't do? This is not our war, and we didn't start it"
🇦🇺 Australia: "We won’t be sending a…
— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) March 16, 2026
Bessent: Any Delay In Trump-Xi Summit Would Be Due To "Logistics," Not China's Failure To Help Police Hormuz https://t.co/Sll6KSlLDh
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) March 16, 2026
Update (0800ET):
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent joined CNBC TV to counter narratives from U.S. MSM outlets overnight that claimed President Trump would delay the Xi summit later this month if Beijing did not help form a naval coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“If the meetings are delayed, it wouldn’t be delayed because the president demanded that China police the Strait of Hormuz,” Bessent told CNBC’s Brian Sullivan in Paris. “If the meeting, for some reason, is rescheduled, it would be rescheduled because of logistics.”
Bessent headlines from the interview:
FALSE TO SAY IF CHINA DOESN’T OPEN HORMUZ, TRIP DELAY
US-CHINA TRADE MEETINGS IN PARIS’ VERY GOOD’
IF TRUMP DELAYS CHINA, WOULD BE DUE TO PROSECUTING WAR
MARKETS SHOULD ‘ABSOLUTELY NOT’ REACT TO TRIP DELAY