President Donald Trump tore into NATO on Friday during a speech at a rally in Arizona, alleging that the longstanding U.S.-led alliance had belatedly offered to help America clear the Strait of Hormuz, the vital oil-shipping lane that’s been reopened for the time being as negotiations continue surrounding the Iran war.
“Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is nearly over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would like some help,” Trump told the crowd at a Turning Point Action event in Phoenix.
“I told them I would have liked your help two months ago, but now I really don’t want your help anymore, because they were absolutely useless when we needed them,” Trump continued. “But actually we never needed them. They needed us.”
“If it teaches us any one thing, we have to rely on ourselves,” the president said elsewhere in his remarks. “We can’t rely on outside countries and outside sources.”
Earlier Friday, both sides in the Iran conflict announced that the strait was being reopened, though some of the details clashed.
Iran said the strait is open for all commercial vessels for the duration of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon in the regional conflict, while President Trump wrote on social media that the strait is “fully open,” a status not “tied, in any way, to Lebanon.” The U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports will continue, Trump wrote, until “OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE.”
The Republican also claimed Friday that Iran had agreed to give up its enriched uranium, which the country strongly denied.
“Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help,” Trump added in the flurry of online updates. “I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL.”
The Independent has contacted NATO for comment.
NATO and other U.S. allies previously refused to join in the American blockade on Iranian ports, and they have kept their distance overall from the growing conflict, though the U.K. has allowed U.S. forces to use British bases for defensive purposes.
On Friday, the president thanked other U.S. allies, praising the “terrific” leaders of Pakistan, which has facilitated talks between Washington and Tehran.
He also praised U.S. allies in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the U.A.E, Bahrain and Kuwait, countries which have faced attacks from Iran on U.S. bases and vital domestic energy infrastructure as part of the conflict.
“It took courage for them,” Trump said.
At the Arizona event, the president repeated his regular (and oft-disputed) claim that he has ended numerous wars while in office, arguing that diplomatic developments in Iran had once again upped his tally of successful peace deals.
“It may be a little early to say this, but if we add Iran and Lebanon, that will be 10 wars ended and many, many millions of lives saved,” the Republican said.
“Iran was the bully of the Middle East,” Trump said during another portion of the speech. “They’re not the bully anymore.”
In his remarks, the president also hailed the “great partnership” with Venezuela that has occurred since the U.S. attacked the country, ousting and arresting president Nicolas Maduro.
The president also hinted at further diplomatic developments to come in Cuba, which is reeling from a catastrophic energy crisis as Washington blocks oil shipments from the island’s longtime patron Venezuela.
Trump said a “new dawn for Cuba” was on its way, and that people should “watch what happens.”
U.S. State Department officials have reportedly held talks in Havana with top Cuban officials, including the influential grandson of de facto Cuban leader Raúl Castro.
