Leavitt calls Trump’s NATO push to secure Strait of Hormuz ‘common sense’

WASHINGTON, DC: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Sunday, March 22, it was “common sense” for President Donald Trump to call on NATO allies to take a more active role in securing the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on X, Leavitt indicated that allied countries were beginning to respond to the US appeal. 

Her remarks come as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise and the strategic waterway remains under strain.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global oil transit route, making its security a central concern for multiple countries.

Leavitt says NATO responding after Trump call to secure Strait

In her social media post, Leavitt defended Trump’s outreach to NATO members, framing it as a practical and expected move given the stakes involved.

“As I said earlier this week, it’s common sense for President Trump to call on our NATO allies to step up and do more to help secure the Strait or Hormuz,” she wrote.

She added that initial responses from allies were already visible. “Now we’re already starting to see them answer the President’s call,” Leavitt said, pointing to remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

According to Leavitt, Rutte had praised Trump’s role in coordinating international efforts.

She wrote that the NATO chief “applauds @POTUS' leadership on the world stage, says we're ‘coming together to make sure that we can be able to secure the Strait of Hormuz.’”

The comments reflect ongoing diplomatic efforts to involve NATO more directly in maintaining security in the region, particularly as disruptions to shipping routes have contributed to volatility in global energy markets.

The Strait of Hormuz handles a significant portion of the world’s oil shipments, making any threat to its accessibility a matter of international concern.

Leavitt says NATO benefits more, urges allies to ‘Do More’

In separate remarks, Leavitt said NATO allies stand to gain more than the United States from the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and therefore should take on a greater share of responsibility. “NATO allies benefit far more from the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz than the United States does,” she said.

She pointed to US energy independence as a factor shaping the administration’s stance.

“As you know, thanks to this president's energy agenda. We are a net exporter of oil. We have enough resources here at home for our people and that's a good thing thanks to President Trump,” she said, adding that reopening the strait would still help stabilize global markets and reduce prices. 

Leavitt argued that European countries, which rely more heavily on energy imports, have a stronger interest in ensuring the waterway remains open.

“But it's greatly benefits Europe and our allies in NATO and the president wants to see them do more,” she said.

She also reiterated Trump’s broader criticism of NATO burden-sharing. “Look, I think you guys know this. One of the president's guiding principles is fairness. And he's long called out NATO for being what he believes sometimes an unfair alliance for the American taxpayer and our American military,” she said.