As the conflict with Iran grows, the Trump administration is pressuring its allies to protect the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes. But some of America’s closest partners appear hesitant to get directly involved.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump publicly expressed frustration with NATO allies, saying, “We don’t need them, but they should have been there.”
However, George Washington University professor Gordon Gray said that the allies’ hesitation may be tied to how the operation was handled.
“I think the primary reason is that they were not consulted in advance,” Gray said.
Gray, a former U.S. ambassador to Tunisia, said that in the past, the United States typically built coalitions before taking major action. Now, there’s a lack of coordination.
“There was just no consultation with the alliance,” Gray said. “There’s no consultation with the U.N., there was no consultation with Congress.”
Some allied leaders are now making clear they do not plan to intervene while the fighting continues.
“We can and will only be able to get involved once the guns fall silent,” said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Gray said the hesitation does not necessarily mean U.S. allies are becoming rivals to the nation. But he said it may reflect broader discomfort with Washington’s go-it-alone approach and raise new questions about whether allies would step in if the conflict widens.
