Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed recent British- and French-led conferences to discuss options for reopening the Strait of Hormuz as more examples of Europe talking rather than taking action.
On Wednesday, military leaders from more than 30 countries met in London to lay out details for Hormuz, a flashpoint in the Iran war.
Repeating a refrain that President Trump frequently recites, Mr. Hegseth on Friday said European nations “need the Strait of Hormuz much more than we do.”
He told reporters at the Pentagon, “They might want to start doing less talking [and] having less fancy conferences in Europe. They got together and talked about talking about maybe doing something eventually.”
Mr. Hegseth said Operation Epic Fury, the campaign against the Islamic republic, shouldn’t be America’s fight alone. “Europe and Asia have benefited from our protection for decades. But the time for free riding is over,” he said. “Our energy doesn’t flow through [Hormuz]. We have plenty of energy.”
The planning sessions at the U.K.’s Permanent Joint Headquarters furthered efforts made last week in Paris by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, British officials said.
“This task … is to translate the diplomatic consensus into a joint plan to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Strait and support a lasting ceasefire,” U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said in a statement.
Mr. Hegseth characterized the plans of the NATO allies as “not serious efforts.”
“We would welcome a serious European effort to do something about the strait, considering it’s their energy capabilities that are most at stake,” he said.
European officials have said that any efforts to clear Hormuz of mines by military means would be put on hold until a permanent ceasefire. The Pentagon said the U.S.-enforced blockade of vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports would continue regardless.
“We’re closely tracking vessels of interest heading toward Iran and those moving away from Iran that were outside the blockade area when this was ordered,” Mr. Hegseth said.
The conflict in the Gulf should be a wake-up call for European countries that have allowed their military forces to atrophy, he said.
“Either you have the capabilities, or you don’t, and you’re at the behest of a country like Iran,” Mr. Hegseth said. “And then the only country that can do something about it is the United States.”
Mr. Hegseth also defended the military’s strikes amid the feud between Mr. Trump and Pope Leo XIV. The defense chief said military lawyers have vetted U.S. operations in Iran.
“The pope’s going to do his thing, that’s fine,” Mr. Hegseth said. “We know what our mission is [and] we know what authority we have. We’re very clear about that.”
