NATO chief Rutte offers Strait of Hormuz help as White House rejects role

The NATO chief signaled Thursday that European allies could move to help secure the Strait of Hormuz following talks with President Donald Trump – even as the White House said the alliance had already “failed” and had not been asked to help.

Secretary-General Mark Rutte, speaking at the Ronald Reagan Foundation and Presidential Institute in Washington a day after meeting with Trump at the White House, highlighted a potential coalition effort among allied nations to keep this critical waterway open.

“If NATO can help, obviously there is no reason not to,” Rutte said.

But a White House official strongly opposed the idea that the alliance could play any role.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte holds a press conference ahead of the NATO Defense Ministers’ Meeting, at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, February 11, 2026. (Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu)

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“As President Trump said yesterday, NATO has been tested and it has failed,” the official said. “He has no expectations of NATO at this stage and has not asked them for anything, although it is true that they benefit much more from the Strait of Hormuz than the United States.”

These shared messages underscore a growing divide between Washington and its European allies over how – or whether – NATO should be involved in the escalating Iranian conflict.

Rutte framed this tension as part of a deeper structural imbalance, warning that Europe’s dependence on American military power had created what he called an “unhealthy codependency.”

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A European diplomat confirmed to Fox News Digital that Rutte had indicated that Trump expected a plan from his allies within days, underscoring the urgency of US demands – even though the White House publicly denies seeking to involve NATO.

NATO also signaled that the United States was pushing for concrete commitments.

“The secretary general is in contact with allies about his discussions in Washington,” NATO spokesperson Allison Hart told Fox News Digital. “It is clear that the United States expects concrete commitments and actions to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”

President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Rutte suggested the disagreement reflects a broader division among allies rather than a failure of NATO as an institution.

“It’s not so much NATO, it’s the allies,” he said, highlighting what he described as each country’s obligations to support U.S. operations when prior agreements are in place.

The dispute highlights a deeper conflict over NATO’s role, with the Trump administration pressuring allies to support U.S.-led military action against Iran, while several European governments have resisted, arguing that the conflict falls outside the alliance’s core collective defense mission.

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These frictions already appeared in the early stages of the conflict.

Spain denied Washington access to the main military bases of Rota and Morón and prevented US planes involved in strikes against Iran from using its airspace, complicating US operations. France also restricted certain access to airspace related to military logistics during the conflict, notably by denying Israeli planes permission to transport American weapons, which sparked reluctance from American and Israeli officials.

French officials said overflight requests were handled on a case-by-case basis.

Several European countries have also declared that the Iranian conflict is “not our war,” refusing to deploy naval forces to reopen the Strait of Hormuz during active fighting and instead signaling support for maritime security efforts only after hostilities cease.

Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for what he sees as insufficient support, warning that the alliance risks becoming a “one-way street.”

“You will have to start learning to fight for yourself, the United States will no longer be there to help you,” Trump said in a Truth Social article in March.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also warned that Washington could “reexamine the value of NATO” after the conflict, citing frustration with European restrictions on U.S. bases and operational access.

Despite the tensions, Rutte stressed that many European allies have provided support, including access to bases, logistics and flyovers.

“He is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies, and I understand his point of view,” Rutte said. “But… the vast majority of European countries provided assistance in terms of basing, logistics, overflights, making sure they respected their commitments.”

Rutte also highlighted the emergence of a coalition model outside the formal NATO structure, in which countries coordinate directly to maintain security in the Strait of Hormuz.

A ship passes through the Strait of Hormuz during a two-week temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran, April 8, 2026. (Shady Alassar/Anadolu/Getty Images)

“When it comes to the Strait of Hormuz, what we’re seeing now is countries coming together to make sure that the Strait remains open,” he said. “If countries work together with the United States, it will be a common commitment that we cannot accept the closure of the strait.”

He said the UK had played a leading role in organizing the effort.

“This is practical support,” Rutte added. “Every country is now thinking about what they can do to contribute, whether it’s minehunters, frigates, or surveillance and technology.”

Rutte returned to this broader criticism of Europe’s defense posture, arguing that the alliance had become too dependent on Washington.

“Western European forces have declined and defense budgets have shrunk… in favor of what I would call unhealthy codependency,” he said.

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He nevertheless believes that the alliance is starting to evolve.

“This is a shift from codependence to a transatlantic alliance based on true partnership,” Rutte said. “There will be no going back.”