NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte pushed back on former President Donald Trump’s claim that he was merely testing allies when he requested naval assistance in the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran conflict. Speaking in Ankara after a NATO summit, Rutte noted that while Trump may feel let down by some individual allies, the United States likely depended on access to European military bases to carry out its operation. He pointed to recent European-led efforts to guarantee freedom of navigation in the strait. Trump, who suggested he never actually needed help, had criticized NATO members for not sending warships. The exchange highlights ongoing tension over burden-sharing within the alliance.