US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Accuses Allies of Freeriding in Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth declared on Friday that the American naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is "broadening and extending globally," warning European and Asian allies that the era of relying on U.S. military protection without reciprocal commitment is over. Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Hegseth stated that no vessel departs the strait without permission from the U.S. Navy. He confirmed that 34 (vessels) — Iranian-port ships diverted since blockade began April 8 have been diverted since the blockade began on April 8, 2026, as part of Operation Epic Fury. Hegseth also announced that a second aircraft carrier would soon join the blockade, further reinforcing the naval cordon around Iranian ports. He added that the blockade would remain in place "for as long as necessary, whatever President Donald Trump decides," and that Washington was "not anxious" to reach a deal with Tehran.

„No one sails from the Strait of Hormuz to anywhere in the world without the permission of the United States Navy.” — Pete Hegseth via Reuters

Hegseth tells Europe to "get on a ship" instead of conferencing Hegseth directed pointed criticism at European governments, arguing that the opening of the strait matters far more to them than to the United States, which he said possesses "abundant reserves of its own" energy. He dismissed a recent gathering of approximately 30 international leaders in Paris — organized by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer — as a "stupid and pompous" conference that produced no concrete action. The Franco-British initiative had proposed a "neutral" naval mission to escort commercial ships through the Persian Gulf, framed as strictly defensive. Hegseth said he saw no "serious efforts" emerging from the meeting, characterizing it as a gathering where participants "met and talked about talking about perhaps doing something at some point." He said Washington would nonetheless welcome a genuine European military contribution, noting that European energy capabilities were "most at stake" in the current crisis.

„We are not counting on Europe, but they need the Strait of Hormuz much more than we do; perhaps they should start talking less, holding fewer ostentatious conferences in Europe, and instead get on a ship. This is, to a large extent, more their fight than ours.” — Pete Hegseth via Deutsche Welle

Leaked Pentagon email raises prospect of Spain's NATO suspension Hegseth's remarks came on the same day that an alleged internal Pentagon email became public, reportedly outlining options for punishing NATO allies that have not supported the U.S. war effort against Iran, including the possible suspension of Spain from the alliance. Hegseth did not directly address the leaked document at the press conference, but his broader comments reinforced the message that Washington expected tangible military contributions from its partners. He stated that "Europe and Asia have benefited from our protection for decades, but the free riding is over," framing allied inaction as a structural failure of burden-sharing. The Pentagon chief added that countries without independent military capabilities were left "at the mercy" of states like Iran, and that only the U.S. military could address the current threat. The combination of the leaked email and Hegseth's public statements marked a significant escalation in Washington's pressure campaign on its European partners.

„Europe and Asia have benefited from our protection for decades, but the free riding is over.” — Pete Hegseth via eldiario.es

Iran given window to negotiate, but U.S. signals no urgency Despite the hardened rhetoric, Hegseth indicated that Iran still had an opportunity to resolve the standoff diplomatically, provided it agreed to verifiable nuclear disarmament. He said Tehran "knows it still has an open window to choose wisely at the negotiating table" and that the sole requirement was a meaningful renunciation of nuclear weapons. Standing alongside senior U.S. military commander Dan Caine, Hegseth repeated President Trump's formulation that Washington had "all the time in the world," signaling no imminent pressure to conclude negotiations. Global energy prices have risen significantly since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on February 28, 2026, with tanker traffic through the strait largely halted by Iranian threats and the U.S. naval cordon. Hegseth described the situation as "a wake-up call for countries all over the world," arguing that nations without military capacity of their own were exposed and dependent on American power.

The Strait of Hormuz has been a focal point of the conflict since the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran on February 28, 2026. Iran closed the strait to tanker traffic in retaliation, triggering a sharp rise in global energy prices. The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports began on April 8, 2026. The conflict also resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the initial strikes, with his son Mojtaba Khamenei subsequently appointed to the position in March 2026.

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