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President of the United States, Donald Trump, has reportedly given European allies only a few days to commit military assets, including warships, to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Der Spiegel.
The request was made during a closed-door meeting at the White House with Mark Rutte. Following the talks, Rutte is said to have informed several European capitals that Washington is seeking “concrete commitments” within days, the report stated, citing European diplomats familiar with the discussions.
According to the diplomats, the message from the US administration was clear: general political support would no longer be sufficient. They described the demand as an “ultimatum,” signaling a shift toward requiring tangible military contributions rather than verbal assurances.
It remains unclear whether Washington is pushing for a formal mission under the NATO framework or a looser arrangement involving coordinated national deployments by allied countries.
Several major European allies have so far shown reluctance to deploy naval forces to the region. Germany, in particular, has expressed reservations, noting that it was not consulted prior to the military actions taken by the United States and Israel against Iran.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has criticized Washington and its allies for what he described as a lack of a clear strategy to end the conflict. He stated that Germany could consider contributing to maritime security efforts in the Strait of Hormuz only after a ceasefire is firmly in place, and only under an international mandate with approval from the German parliament.
Tensions between Washington and its European partners have been further heightened by President Trump’s public criticism of NATO’s role during the conflict. In a post on the social media platform Truth Social following his meeting with Rutte, Trump questioned the alliance’s reliability.
“NATO wasn’t there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again,” he wrote.
Earlier, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt echoed the president’s stance, telling reporters that NATO had been “tested, and they failed” during the war involving Iran. She added that the administration believes the alliance did not provide sufficient support despite longstanding US contributions to European defense.
The push for naval deployments comes amid ongoing concerns about security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies. Any disruption in the waterway could have far-reaching economic consequences, particularly for oil-dependent markets.
Analysts say the US demand places additional pressure on European governments already balancing domestic political considerations, alliance commitments, and concerns over further escalation in the Middle East. The situation also underscores broader divisions within NATO over strategy and burden-sharing during the conflict.
As discussions continue, it remains uncertain whether European allies will meet Washington’s call for immediate military commitments or seek a more coordinated, multilateral approach to securing the vital maritime route.
