President Donald Trump and G7 leaders disagreed on the timeline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz during a summit in Évian, France.
The dispute centers on the global energy supply chain, as the strait carries 20% [1] of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. A failure to secure the waterway could prolong energy market volatility and threaten international shipping lanes.
Trump said the Strait of Hormuz will reopen by Friday [2]. He said, "NATO allies are cowards" [3]. The U.S. administration is pushing for a rapid reopening to restore the flow of energy resources to global markets.
European allies expressed a different view. These leaders said the reopening process is more complex and requires an interim agreement with Iran, as well as extensive de-mining operations, before shipping can safely resume [4]. They said that a premature opening without these security guarantees could lead to further instability in the region.
Iranian officials have entered the conversation with their own timeline. They said they will restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within a month [5]. The U.S. government responded to this assertion, calling the Iranian claim a fabrication [6].
The disagreement highlights a rift in strategy between the U.S. and its partners. While the U.S. favors a swift return to normalcy, European leaders are prioritizing a diplomatic framework to ensure long-term safety in the contested waters [4].
“"NATO allies are cowards"”
The friction between the U.S. and G7 allies reveals a fundamental disagreement over risk management in the Middle East. By dismissing the necessity of de-mining and interim treaties, the U.S. is signaling a preference for a fast-tracked economic recovery of energy routes. Conversely, the European insistence on a structured agreement suggests a fear that a rushed reopening could trigger renewed conflict or maritime accidents, potentially causing a more severe shock to the global economy.
