President Donald Trump threatened to halt weapons supplies for Ukraine to pressure European allies to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to officials familiar with the discussions.
The warning came after European governments declined a U.S. request for NATO navies to join a "coalition of the willing" to secure the key shipping route, which Iran effectively closed following U.S. and Israeli strikes in late February, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
Three officials said Trump responded by threatening to cut support for Purl, NATO's weapons procurement initiative for Ukraine funded by European countries.
The move raised alarm among allies already reliant on U.S. military backing for Kyiv.
One official said NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte pushed for a rapid response to ease tensions.
"It was Rutte who insisted on the joint statement because Trump had threatened to withdraw from Purl and from Ukraine in general," the official said.
A joint statement issued March 19 by countries including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom said: "We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait [of Hormuz]."
Another official described Trump's reaction to Europe's initial refusal as intense, saying Rutte told key allies the president was "rather hysterical" about their unwillingness to act.
British officials confirmed discussions with the United States on a "military-to-military basis" regarding the strait but did not deny that Washington had raised the possibility of scaling back Ukraine support.
Deputy White House press secretary Anna Kelly underscored Trump's stance, saying: "President Trump has made his disappointment with NATO and other allies clear, and as the president emphasized, 'the United States will remember.'"
Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with European allies, framing Ukraine as primarily Europe's responsibility while criticizing their reluctance to support U.S. efforts against Iran.
"We're there to protect NATO, to protect them from Russia. But they're not there to protect us. It's ridiculous," Trump said during a Cabinet meeting last week.
He also told Reuters he would "absolutely" consider withdrawing from NATO, signaling broader tensions within the alliance.
Rutte declined to comment on private discussions but said publicly: "I am confident that allies, as always, will do everything in support of our shared interests."
Since the March 19 statement, additional countries have joined the effort. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he will host talks among 35 signatories on forming a coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz "after the fighting has stopped."
The conflict has also intensified competition for key U.S. weapons systems, including Patriot air defense interceptors used by both Gulf nations and Ukraine.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said U.S. supplies to Ukraine through Purl have not yet been affected. "Nothing yet has been diverted," he said, while leaving open the possibility of future changes.
"If we need something for America and it's American, we're going to keep it for America first," Rubio said.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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