NATO Is Making a Foolish Mistake Says Trump (Full Q&A)

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US President Donald Trump abandoned his effort to recruit partners for the war with Iran and scolded allies who openly rejected his appeals, even as he repeated claims the conflict would end soon. Germany, France, Canada, Greece and Norway are among those that have explicitly ruled out participating in the US-Israeli operations, including in efforts to end the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The near shutdown has wreaked havoc on global energy markets and kept oil hovering around $100 a barrel.  Their refusals have exposed the consequences of Trump’s cavalier approach toward the US’s longstanding alliances. The US president on Tuesday scolded NATO allies in particular, denouncing their “foolish mistake” not to get involved. He also called out Japan, Australia and South Korea in a social media post earlier Tuesday that stated the US didn’t need the help of anyone. “I’ve long said I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us,” Trump said at the White House. “This was a great test because we don’t need them, but they should have been there.” Trump also sought to drive home his stated reasons for starting the war, citing the need to disarm a potent nuclear threat and claiming, without providing evidence, that Iran was just two weeks away from acquiring a weapon that they would have used “very gladly.” He also sent more mixed signals about when the US would wind down major military operations, saying “we’re not ready to leave yet, but we will be leaving in the near future.” The US and Israel nonetheless kept up their attacks with little clarity on when operations would end.  Israel said it killed Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, in an overnight operation and Trump threatened to expand strikes on Kharg Island, Iran’s main export hub. The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment on whether the US believed Larijani was killed. If confirmed, his death would mark one of the most high-profile killings of an Iranian official since Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war.  Khamenei has been succeeded by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, with Tehran maintaining retaliatory fire around the Middle East. Iran set a massive natural gas field in the United Arab Emirates ablaze overnight as it stepped up attacks on key energy sites, the first time the Islamic Republic has damaged an oil or gas upstream facility in the neighboring country during the war.  The move, combined with a near-halt to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, triggered a fresh rise in Brent crude futures to nearly $105 a barrel at one point on Tuesday. Prices later erased most of those gains.  When asked on Tuesday when cargo ships would be able to pass through the vital waterway again, Trump said “it won’t be, I don’t believe, too long.” Trump said Tuesday that an upcoming summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping would instead take place in five or six weeks because he wants to stay in Washington to focus on the war. China is among the countries Trump has appealed to for naval support. That decision came amid growing opposition to the war at home, including among his own supporters. Joe Kent, a top counterterrorism official, announced he is resigning in protest of the war, arguing that Israel had dragged the US into the conflict. Asked about the resignation, Trump on Tuesday countered that Iran indeed had been a threat. He said Kent was “a nice guy, but I always thought he was weak on security.”  National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CNBC on Tuesday that the US’s expectation is still for a “four-to-six week operation,” while adding that a longer war could “hurt consumers” and thus dictate a potential change of approach.   The average cost of a gallon of gasoline has risen each day since the conflict began to around $3.79, according to the American Automobile Association.  Trump this week had stepped up his appeals for help — from both allies and China — to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The effective shuttering of the strait has driven US gasoline prices higher, piling pressure on the administration ahead of the November midterm elections. -------- Watch Bloomberg Radio LIVE on YouTube Weekdays 7am-6pm ET WATCH HERE: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/BloombergRadio Subscribe to our Podcasts: Bloomberg Daybreak: http://bit.ly/3DWYoAN Bloomberg Surveillance: http://bit.ly/3OPtReI Bloomberg Intelligence: http://bit.ly/3YrBfOi Balance of Power: http://bit.ly/3OO8eLC Bloomberg Businessweek: http://bit.ly/3IPl60i Listen on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with the Bloomberg Business app: Apple CarPlay: https://apple.co/486mghI Android Auto: https://bit.ly/49benZy Visit our YouTube channels: Bloomberg Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/bloombergpodcasts Bloomberg Television: https://www.youtube.com/@markets Bloomberg Originals: https://www.youtube.com/bloomberg Quicktake: https://www.youtube.com/@BloombergQuicktake