Macron defends NATO and rejects force scenario in Strait of Hormuz

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, defended the value of NATO and rejected the proposed military operation by the United States in the Strait of Hormuz, in response to recent statements from U.S. President Donald Trump. "I believe that alliances like NATO are valuable for what is not said, that is, the trust that underpins them," Emmanuel Macron simply said upon his arrival in the South Korean capital, Seoul, after Trump criticized the Atlantic Alliance for its lack of support for the offensive against Tehran and considered leaving it. Similarly, the French president dismissed the option of "liberating the Strait of Hormuz by force through a military operation," in line with what Washington has "requested on several occasions." "It has never been the option we have chosen, and we consider it unrealistic because it would take an excessive amount of time and expose everyone crossing the strait to risks at sea from the Revolutionary Guard," Macron declared. Macron recalled that from the beginning he advocated for the reopening of this strategic passage, but only if it is done "in collaboration" with the Iranian authorities. "The first thing is, obviously, a ceasefire, the resumption of negotiations and, within that framework, to ensure that there are no attacks on ships, possibly through deterrent missions, as we are offering," he added. "What is needed is the strictest possible framework to prevent further enrichment," Macron stated. Macron tells Trump his comments about his marriage 'are not elegant.' Macron also reacted to the latest comments from his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, about his marriage, in which he stated that the French leader was "being mistreated by his wife." "The comments I heard (...) are not elegant or worthy of a response, so I am not going to answer them, they do not deserve a response," Macron stated. The French leader's statements came hours after, during an Easter lunch speech, the White House tenant referred to the incident in which the French first lady slapped Macron before getting off a plane in May 2025. "I called Macron, whose wife treats him terribly and who is still recovering from that jaw slap, and I said: 'Emmanuel, we would love to get some help in the gulf (Persian). This is one of the possible options, but it is by no means a military operation,'" explained Trump. Regarding the U.S. and Israeli offensive against Iran, the European leader stated that "a selective military action, even for a few weeks, will not solve the long-term nuclear problem."