Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump’s administration is confronting growing international isolation in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, now in its third week, as key European NATO allies have firmly declined requests to provide military support for securing the Strait of Hormuz.
The rejections came amid escalating disruptions to global oil flows through the vital waterway, which Iran has effectively blocked in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes that began on February 28. The conflict has already claimed at least 13 American service members’ lives, with the Pentagon confirming the deaths in incidents including an Iranian drone attack on a U.S. facility in Kuwait and the crash of a KC-135 refueling aircraft in Iraq.
European leaders, including those from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy, have emphasized that the war—initiated without prior consultation with NATO—was not a collective alliance obligation under Article 5. German officials described it as “not NATO’s war,” while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that “nobody is ready to put their people in harm’s way in the Strait of Hormuz.” Similar refusals have come from non-European partners such as Japan and Australia.
In response, President Trump expressed sharp frustration during an Oval Office appearance on Tuesday, calling the allies’ stance a “very foolish mistake.” He reiterated longstanding criticisms of NATO as a “one-way street,” asserting that the United States had achieved “such Military Success” that it no longer needed—or desired—their assistance. “WE NEVER DID!” Trump posted on Truth Social earlier that day, emphasizing that the U.S. was “doing great without you” and warning of consequences for non-cooperation.
The president’s comments follow years of his public threats to NATO members over defense spending shortfalls, as well as past proposals such as purchasing Greenland from Denmark—moves that strained transatlantic ties.
Domestically, the war has brought additional challenges. Gas prices have climbed sharply, with the national average reaching approximately $3.72 per gallon—up nearly 80 cents in the past month—due to the largest oil supply disruption in recent history. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of global oil passes, has driven crude prices above $100 per barrel in recent days.
Adding to internal pressures, Joe Kent, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and a Trump appointee, resigned on March 17. In an open letter shared on social media, Kent—a decorated veteran and longtime Trump supporter—stated that Iran posed “no imminent threat” to the United States and accused the administration of launching the conflict under “pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.” He urged the president to “reverse course” to avoid repeating mistakes of past wars.
The White House has not immediately commented on Kent’s departure, though senior officials have privately acknowledged internal debates over the war’s scope and duration. President Trump has described the operation as progressing quickly and suggested it would not last much longer, while maintaining that the strikes were necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
As casualties mount—more than 2,100 reported dead across the region, including over 1,300 in Iran—and energy markets remain volatile, the absence of a broad coalition has left the United States and Israel bearing the primary military burden. Critics argue the situation underscores the long-term costs of “America First” policies that prioritized unilateral action over alliance-building.
U.S. troops and naval assets continue operations in the Persian Gulf, with American families and service members facing the direct consequences of the conflict. No major international partners have committed forces to join the effort.