As President Donald Trump continues to urge countries to assist with the escalating crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, he reportedly issued a warning to NATO on Sunday, saying it will be “very bad” for the global alliance if they do not respond or comply.
“If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO,” he reportedly told the Financial Times in a phone interview.
The president has spent the weekend insisting that because other countries, particularly Europe and China, are dependent on the oil that flows through the Strait, they should be responsible for assisting with the escalating oil crisis.
“It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the Strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” Trump said.
The president also floated postponing his trip to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which a White House official previously told ABC is currently scheduled for March 31 to April 2. He did not say how long he may delay the trip.
Trump told the FT that he would “like to know” if China would help with unblocking the Strait of Hormuz before the summit takes place.
-ABC News' Emily Chang and Meghan Mistry