Donald Trump received a cold shoulder from Europe over his plans for a naval presence at the Strait of Hormuz, with major European governments declining to send warships and calling instead for diplomatic solutions to the crisis. Trump had warned that the alliance’s future was at stake if NATO members failed to contribute to reopening the blocked passage, but his message fell largely flat across the continent. European leaders consistently returned to the same themes: the conflict was not theirs to fight, and a military response without a shared strategy and mandate was premature.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz was the most direct, categorically excluding military participation and arguing from historical precedent against the use of bombing as a reliable political instrument. His defense minister raised an uncomfortable question for Washington by asking what European frigates could realistically add to a situation the US Navy had already been unable to resolve. Their combined position made Germany the clearest European voice against Trump’s approach.
Britain’s Keir Starmer took a more careful approach, promising a viable plan while declining any specific military commitment. He acknowledged the global importance of the strait to energy supply chains and stressed the need for broad multilateral agreement before any action was taken. Trump remained publicly unhappy with London but privately appeared to retain hope of British involvement.
Italy, Greece, France, Japan, and Australia each separately declined to participate. The EU’s foreign ministers decided not to expand Operation Aspides to cover the Hormuz region. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas confirmed the decision, noting the absence of member state appetite for changing the mission’s mandate. Estonia’s representative gave voice to European frustration by demanding that the US and Israel explain their strategic end goals.
Israel continued its campaign of airstrikes on Iranian cities, while Iran launched retaliatory missiles at Israel that were intercepted. Drone attacks disrupted UAE oil exports and briefly halted flights near Dubai. Iran rejected ceasefire proposals and warned the US against ground troop deployment. US casualties climbed to 13 dead and more than 200 wounded, and rights groups documented a total Iranian death toll of more than 1,800 people, most of them civilians.