Pete Hegseth told Europe to “stop talking and get in a boat” to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz in a pointed criticism of allies, amid a deepening rift between Washington and its Western allies.
Addressing reporters at the Pentagon on Friday, the US defence secretary lauded the strength of the US Navy in upholding a blockade of Iranian ports and vessels, which Tehran says is keeping negotiations at an impasse.
He argued that Europe and Asia had historically been the main beneficiaries of American “protection” and that “the time for free riding is over”. He said the US “deserves allies who are capable, who are loyal, and who understand that being an ally is not a one-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,” he said, arguing the US was less reliant on Gulf energy. “This is much more their fight than ours.”
Mr Hegseth’s comments came against the backdrop of a report that the United States is weighing options to punish Nato allies it believes failed to support its operations in the war with Iran.
A US official told Reuters that an internal email had outlined plans including suspending Spain from the alliance and reviewing the US position on Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands.
The policy options are detailed in a note prepared by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s top policy adviser, who expressed frustration at some allies’ perceived reluctance or refusal to grant the United States access, bases and overflight rights for the war, the official told the agency.
In the case of Spain, a Nato official told the BBC on Friday that there was no provision for member states to be suspended or expelled from the alliance. The US has not taken a formal position regarding the sovereignty of the Falklands, claimed by Britain.
Transatlantic relations have been strained by the US threats to annex Greenland, repeated criticism of Europe’s leaders, slashed military support and the imposition of trade tariffs since Mr Trump returned to office.
It emerged on Friday that EU leaders have asked officials to prepare a blueprint for how the bloc’s previously obscure mutual assistance clause would work amid doubts over the US commitment to Nato.
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk separately said in an interview with the Financial Times on Friday that Europe’s “biggest, most important question” was whether the US would be a loyal Nato partner in case of a Russian attack.
Meanwhile, as Europe and Asia weather the strain of the US-Iran conflict, Mr Hegseth insisted that the United States was in no hurry to make peace with Iran.
The war, which started on 28 February, has been at an impasse since Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would indefinitely extend the ceasefire with Iran at the request of Pakistan until peace terms are agreed or reach a dead end.
Both sides have maintained blockades on maritime traffic. On Friday, the US bolstered its fleet with the arrival of the USS George HW Bush in the Middle East. Tehran has said it will not negotiate until Washington lifts its restrictions on Iranian shipping.
There was a hint of diplomatic progress as Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan to discuss proposals for restarting talks with the United States, according to Pakistani government sources.
The sources told Reuters that Mr Araghchi was expected to discuss his side of the proposal for talks with the US, which would then be conveyed to Washington.
Washington did not address the reports, but Mr Hegseth said in his press briefing that Iran still had a chance to make a “good deal”.
“Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely … at the negotiating table. All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways,” he said.
A ceasefire in the parallel war in Lebanon, extended by another three weeks only yesterday, looked fragile as Lebanese authorities reported two people killed by an Israeli strike while Hezbollah downed an IDF drone.
Mr Trump announced the three-week extension on Thursday after hosting Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors at the White House. The ceasefire agreement between the governments of Lebanon and Israel had been due to expire on Sunday.
Responding to the extension, Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad said that “it is essential to point out that the ceasefire is meaningless in light of Israel’s insistence on hostile acts, including assassinations, shelling, and gunfire” and its demolition of villages and towns in the south.
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