President Trump vented frustration at the United Kingdom and France on Tuesday, saying the U.S. will no longer assist them because of their refusal to join military action against Iran.
In a series of Truth Social posts, the president criticized France for refusing to let U.S. planes headed to Israel load up with military supplies and fly over French airspace.
“France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran,’ who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!” Mr. Trump posted.
The president then turned his ire toward the United Kingdom, saying America had done the hard work, now it needs to “build up some delay courage” and take control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has essentially blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that is a shipping lane for 20% of the world’s oil.
“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 posted.
“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,” he added.
In an interview with CBS News after his Truth Social posts, Mr. Trump said the U.S. will help allies, but he added that he’s frustrated that other countries aren’t stepping up because there’s no “real threat” anymore.
“Let them come up and take it. They didn’t want to give a hand to anybody. NATO is terrible and they’re all terrible. So if they want oil, come up and grab it. There’s no real threat, there’s no substantial threat because the country has been decimated,” he told CBS.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly derided European allies for their refusal to take part in the joint U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran, especially after they expressed reservations about getting involved in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“I’ve long said that, you know, I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us. So … this was a great test, because we don’t need them, but they should have been there,” Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office last week.
