The Trump administration is lashing out at America’s allies in Europe after their refusal to help President Donald Trump clean up the global mess he created by attacking Iran.
Early Tuesday morning, Trump assailed the United Kingdom for declining to help him launch strikes on Iran, writing, “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.”
He claimed that “the hard part” of the conflict is now over and that Iran “has been, essentially, decimated.” Trump argued that the U.K. should go to the Strait of Hormuz and “TAKE” oil, concluding, “Go get your own oil!”
In another post, Trump whined that France has denied the U.S. permission to use its airspace for bombing runs into Iran, writing, “France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the “Butcher of Iran,” who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!”
His sentiments were echoed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in a press conference a few hours later.
“There are countries around the world who ought [to] be prepared to step up on this critical waterway as well. It’s not just the United States Navy. Last time I checked, there was supposed to be a big bad Royal Navy that could be prepared to do things like that as well,” Hegseth said.
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Hegseth: "As far as NATO, that's a decision that will be left to the president, but a lot has been laid bare ... you don't have much of an alliance if you have countries that are not willing to stand with you when you need them."
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-03-31T12:44:20.065Z
Hegseth also argued that the NATO alliance was weak “if you have countries that are not willing to stand with you when you need them.”
The comments from Trump and Hegseth come after Italy and Spain also refused to allow the U.S. to use its airbases or airspace, respectively, to support attacks on Iran. Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles told reporters on Monday that the U.S. actions were “profoundly illegal and profoundly unjust.”
Traditional U.S. allies are declining to be involved in the conflict that has severely impacted access to oil, causing gas prices to spike above $4 a gallon in the U.S. for the first time in four years. The shortage was triggered by Trump’s actions, which he has failed to justify to Americans or to the rest of the world.
Trump has suggested that America intends to steal Iran’s natural resources and attack civilian infrastructure, which could amount to war crimes. He has chosen to ratchet up the conflict rather than admit he was wrong when he asserted that Iran would quickly fold.
The administration blundered into its Iran war, adding another element of global instability after more than a year of tariff policies that have backfired against the American economy. Instead of accepting blame for his own actions, the Trump administration has chosen to complain about the rest of the world.
