Learn to fight for yourselves, US won’t help anymore
US War Secretary Pete Hegseth says next few days in Iran war will be decisive
Trump to UK PM
washington
United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged countries that did not help in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran to buy American oil and go to the Strait of Hormuz and “just take it”.
Trump singled out Britain and France as unhelpful in the month-long war that has roiled global markets, driven up energy prices and seen Iran effectively close oil tanker traffic through the Strait.
Trump Truth Social post
“All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the US, we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the strait, and just take it,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the USA won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” Trump wrote, adding, “The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!”
He also criticised France for not letting planes carrying military supplies to Israel fly over French territory.
Meanwhile, in a press briefing, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that the next few days in the Middle East conflict will be decisive, adding that there had been major desertions from the Iranian armed forces.
“We have more and more options, and they have less … in only one month we set the terms, the upcoming days will be decisive,” Hegseth said. “Iran knows that, and there’s almost nothing they can militarily do about it,” he added.
Hegseth, citing intelligence, said the strikes were damaging the morale of the Iranian military. This, he said, was triggering widespread desertions, key personnel shortages and causing frustration amongst senior leaders.
He also said he had visited troops in the Middle East on Saturday to witness the military operation against Iran.
On the Strait of Hormuz, Hegseth said more vessels were flowing through the strait thanks to Trump, adding that the world should be prepared to step up and that objectives had been very clear.
“Trump has led, the US laid the conditions for success,” he said.
On the question of US troops in Iran, Hegseth said no option would be foreclosed, adding that the point was to be unpredictable on whether the US deployed boots on the ground or not. He said the timeline could be “four, six, eight weeks or any number”.
Top US General Caine added that US troops were out there and Iran should consider diplomacy.
On negotiations, Hegseth said talks were ongoing and gaining strength, calling the back and forth a productive development. “We want a deal, if not we’re prepared to continue,” he said, adding that the US remained committed to a conflict that ended on “our terms and Trump’s terms”.
Asked about reports of Russia and China aiding Iran, Hegseth said: “As far as Russia and China, we know exactly what they’re doing, what they are or are not doing.
“We don’t have to air publicly what all of that is, but where necessary, we’re addressing it, we’re mitigating it, or we’re confronting it head-on.”
On NATO, he said it would be Trump’s decision on what that looked like after Iran.
