President Donald Trump criticized NATO on Saturday for its refusal to join U.S. efforts in the ongoing conflict with Iran, particularly regarding control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking at the Deerfield Residence in Dublin, the official home of the U.S. ambassador to Ireland, Trump expressed frustration with European allies who turned down requests for support. "I said, 'Would you like to help us with the Hormuz strait?'" Trump recalled. He noted that many leaders declined, leading him to question continued U.S. assistance to the alliance.

"Very disappointing in many ways, that NATO didn't want to help us with the strait, even though we don't get any oil from the strait," Trump said. "We don't need it. We have a lot of oil. We have more oil than anybody, as you know, but we thought it was important."

Trump added that he ultimately decided against pursuing their involvement further. "But I put it down because, why the hell are we helping them?" he stated.

The remarks come amid a broader pattern of tension between the Trump administration and NATO members over the Iran conflict, which began earlier this year with joint U.S. and Israeli operations. Trump has repeatedly highlighted that the United States managed the campaign effectively without allied combat participation, underscoring American military self-reliance.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has defended alliance contributions in prior meetings, noting the use of European bases for U.S. aircraft operations. Trump has dismissed such points, focusing instead on the lack of direct commitments from key European nations.

The president's comments align with his long-standing critique of NATO burden-sharing, where he argues that the U.S. bears a disproportionate load while allies benefit from American security guarantees without reciprocal loyalty in crises. This latest rebuke reinforces calls for greater European defense spending and independence from U.S. support.