On April 17, Trump posted: "As the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has now ended, I received a call from NATO asking if we needed some help. I told them to stay far away—unless they just wanted to fill their ships with oil. They're useless when real help is needed, nothing but paper tigers!"

"With America's assistance, Iran has cleared—or is clearing—all mines! Thank you!"

This is an authentic post. On April 17, 2026, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. Shortly thereafter, Trump posted multiple messages on the "Truth Social" platform.

This statement reflects Trump’s position during the so-called “post-crisis” phase—declaring that he had "won" the Strait of Hormuz situation, rejecting NATO’s belated assistance as a way to rebuke allies and simultaneously reinforce his domestic image as a tough leader.

By declaring "the mission is complete," Trump attributes the reopening of the strait entirely to U.S. efforts. The message aims to convey to American voters that under his leadership, the United States successfully resolved the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, and that Iran has "agreed not to block the Strait of Hormuz again." Previously, he had claimed on social media that Iran, with U.S. support, had "cleared or was clearing all mines," and that the Strait of Hormuz "would no longer be used as a weapon against the world."

While boasting about his achievements, Trump did not miss the chance to criticize NATO. He implied that NATO only appeared after his victory—echoing his repeated complaints that NATO allies were unwilling to assist the U.S. in confronting Iran. "Tell them to stay far away unless they want to fill their ships with oil"—suggesting NATO’s motives are impure, driven solely by oil interests rather than genuine support for the U.S. This is a continuation of his ongoing criticism of allies for "not helping." "Useless when truly needed, nothing but paper tigers"—a complete dismissal of NATO’s value.

Experts analyze that such statements are essentially "downgrading the tone for negotiation rather than truly concluding the matter"—a strategic move to create space for the next phase of talks while military pressure remains unchanged.

In sum, this post is a carefully crafted political tool serving Trump’s domestic agenda and diplomatic pressure strategy, not a signal of actual policy change.

Given that major issues remain unresolved and mutual trust is still lacking, it would be premature to claim any single negotiation has succeeded. Even if certain agreements are reached, they remain fragile. Whether the strait will remain open for navigation remains highly uncertain.

One thing is certain: transatlantic relations between the U.S. and Europe are growing increasingly distant.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862748540372032/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.