The US Secretary of War has urged European allies to “stop talking and get in a boat” to help open the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions over the Gulf blockade escalate sharply.
Pete Hegseth, speaking at a Pentagon briefing on Friday, delivered a pointed message to NATO partners amid growing frustration in Washington over what it sees as limited European involvement in the unfolding confrontation with Iran.
“Stop talking and get in a boat,” he said, in remarks that underlined the increasingly abrasive tone between the United States and its allies.
The comments come as the US maintains a blockade in the Gulf of Oman, which it says will remain in place until Iran agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accepts terms for a wider peace settlement.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, has effectively become a focal point of confrontation, with Washington accusing Tehran of obstructing maritime traffic and destabilising global shipping routes.
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Hegseth claimed that 34 Iran-linked vessels had already been turned back by US naval forces as part of what he described as an expanding operation.
“Our blockade is growing and going global,” he told reporters. “Iran still has a chance to make a good deal with the United States.”
The rhetoric marks a significant escalation in tone, with the Pentagon adopting an increasingly hardline stance as maritime tensions intensify across the region.
Washington’s frustration with its NATO allies has also been laid bare in internal discussions, including a leaked Pentagon memo suggesting a review of US positions on longstanding territorial disputes with European partners, such as Britain’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
The suggestion has sparked political concern in Westminster, though Downing Street moved swiftly to restate its position.
A government spokesman said: “Sovereignty rests with us.”
The escalating war of words highlights growing strain within the Western alliance as disagreements deepen over burden-sharing and military engagement in the Gulf crisis.
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