White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said U.S. allies must take on a greater role in securing the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that the responsibility falls more heavily on nations that depend on the key shipping route.
Leavitt said U.S. officials are actively engaging with international partners on the issue.
“Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Rubio continue to be in touch with their counterparts in Europe and, of course, our allies in the Arab engulfed region to step up and do more to help the United States in securing the Strait of Hormuz.”
She emphasized that maintaining access to the waterway is more critical for U.S. allies than for the United States itself.
“This is to their benefit more so than it is to the benefit of the United States.”
She added, “Thanks to President Trump, we are a net exporter of energy.”
Leavitt said the shift in U.S. energy production has reduced reliance on the Strait of Hormuz for domestic needs.
“We don’t need the Strait of Hormuz for our energy here at home, for the American people.”
At the same time, she said the United States continues to have an interest in keeping the strait open for global markets.
“Of course, we want the strait to be open for the global oil market and to stabilize prices and bring them down again.”
She noted that the U.S. military retains the capability to respond if necessary.
“And we have options at the military has options to continue doing that,” Leavitt said, adding that President Trump’s call for allied support reflects broader policy priorities.
“But the President is right to call on our allies to step up to do more.”
Leavitt also pointed to what she described as longstanding concerns over burden-sharing within NATO.
“You know, one of President Trump’s guiding principles is fairness,” she said.
She added that the president has “long called out NATO for what for being what he believes an unfair Alliance for the American people, the American taxpayer, and our US armed forces.”
She referenced trade negotiations with allied countries, stating that President Trump has worked to improve terms for the United States.
“You look at some of the trade deals with our NATO allies, the President has worked to renegotiate and reset those to make them more fair for the American people and American workers.”
Leavitt also highlighted the presence of U.S. troops in allied countries, describing it as both a cost and a strategic commitment.
“You look at the fact that the United States has 1000s of troops on our allies in NATO soil,” she said.
“We’re paying these countries billions of dollars, and our troops on their soil serves as a deterrent for them.”
She said President Trump is focused on ensuring that U.S. contributions are matched by allies.
“And the President wants the American taxpayer and our American military to be treated fairly.”
She added that he believes allies have not always met that standard.
“He feels sometimes with NATO, they are not.”
Leavitt concluded by reiterating the administration’s position that allies should play a larger role in securing critical global infrastructure.
“And he’s right to call that out, and he’s right to call on them to step up and do more,” she said, adding, “especially when reopening the strait benefits them even more than it does the United States of America.”
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