Europe might want to start having “less fancy conferences and get in a boat”, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has said as he hit out at the response of the UK and other countries to the Strait of Hormuz crisis.
He dismissed steps being led by Britain and France aimed at ensuring the future security of the critical Gulf waterway as “silly”.
Speaking at the Pentagon, Mr Hegseth said America deserved allies “who are loyal” and understood the partnership was “not a one-way street”.
His remarks came as transatlantic relations soured further with reports the US could review its position on Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands as punishment for Sir Keir Starmer’s lack of support for the war in Iran.
The latest dispute comes just days before the King and Queen arrive in the US for a four-day state visit.
The strait, which is a major supply route for oil and gas supplies, had been open prior to the US and Israel launching strikes against Iran.
In retaliation, Tehran effectively closed the shipping lane.
And although President Donald Trump has extended an uneasy ceasefire, the strait remains a flashpoint with both the US and Iran imposing their own blockades, bringing the movement of vessels to a virtual standstill, further fuelling a global energy crisis that has seen prices rocket.
A coalition of countries recently held talks in Paris and in London this week aimed at forging an international UK and France-led mission to keep the waterway open once the conflict is over.
Giving an update on the war and the ongoing blockade of Iran’s ports at a news conference in Washington, Mr Hegseth said: “This should not be America’s fight alone. We barely use the Strait of Hormuz as a country. Our energy doesn’t flow through there, and we have plenty of energy.”
He added: “Europe and Asia have benefited from our protection for decades, but the time for free riding is over. America and the free world deserve allies who are capable, who are loyal, and who understand that being an ally is not a one-way street. It’s a two-way street.
“We are not counting on Europe, but they need the Strait of Hormuz much more than we do, and might want to start doing less talking and having less fancy conferences in Europe and get in a boat. This is much more their fight than ours.”
Mr Hegseth went on: “I know there’s a lot of talks. You saw the, I would call it a silly conference in Europe last week, where they got together and talked about talking about maybe doing something eventually, when things are done.
“Those are not serious efforts.”
He added: “We would welcome a serious European effort to do something about this strait and this passage considering it’s their energy capabilities that are most at stake.
“I think it’s a wake-up call. It’s a wake-up call for countries around the world.
“Either you have capabilities or you don’t. Otherwise you’re at the behest of a country like Iran, and the only country that can do something about it is the United States military.”
