I guess we don’t have to be there for NATO: Trump

US president says Iran must open key waterway

WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump once again on Saturday expressed ire at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) for not coming to his help in the country’s war with Iran.

Speaking at an event, he said, “NATO wasn’t there for us. We send billions of dollars to them every year to protect them. We would have always been there for them. But based on their actions, I guess we don’t have to be, do we? Why would we be there for them if they’re not there for us?”

Trump on insisted Iran must open up the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic to make a peace deal — and dubbed the crucial waterway the “Strait of Trump.”

Trump, who has renamed several buildings in Washington after himself during his second term, said his comment was a “mistake” but then added that “there’s no accidents with me.”

Repeating his claims that Tehran is ready to make a deal despite its denials, the 79-year-old US leader said that talks were underway to negotiate an end to the month-long conflict.

Trump added that Iran was “on the run” and reiterated assertions that Tehran’s leadership, navy, air force and nuclear programme had all suffered significant damage.

“We’re negotiating now, and it would be great if we could do something, but they have to open it up,” Trump told a Saudi-backed FII Priority investment forum in Miami.

“They have to open up the Strait of Trump — I mean Hormuz. Excuse me, I’m so sorry. Such a terrible mistake.”

Trump said the media would pounce upon the comment, but then added “there’s no accidents with me, not too many.”

He also talked about how he had ordered the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” shortly after returning to power. Monitoring Desk