'We're not going to go into something where...': French General slams Trump's pitch for naval alliance to police Hormuz
When asked why France will not be a part of the proposed, General Yakovleff said that the country has five main reasons to say no to Trump.
- Mar 17, 2026,
- Updated Mar 17, 2026 1:15 PM IST
French General Michel Yakovleff recently took down US President Donald Trump over his appeal to countries, including the UK and France, to form a naval alliance to police the Strait of Hormuz, which continues to remain blocked as the West Asia conflict enters day 18.
When asked why France will not be a part of the proposed, General Yakovleff said that the country has five main reasons to say no to Trump. He said that the first and foremost reason to say no to Trump is that he does not understand that if he wants to carry out an operation against NATO, the latter has to take command.
"It's only one operation. That means you're putting your operation under NATO's flag. I'm not sure he understood that," the General said. He added that for that to happen, NATO will have to agree, but not before saying the ball is in America's court.
"It's up to the Americans to put on the table our sought-after final effect and our strategic objectives. Well, opening the Strait of Hormuz is already an objective. We can't deny it. Yes, but they have to do it for the whole operation. Because we're not going to go into something where we're told just that, and then the rest is not your problem."
Heaping further flak on the US action in Hormuz, he said that the Americans cannot heap surprises every morning. General Yakovleff added that military objectives in an operation like this cannot be decided through tweets and things that change every 2 minutes.
"Already there, it's going to be necessary for Trump himself to know what he wants. And in fact, if he wanted NATO now, it was two months ago that it started. It was two months ago. He had to tell us, even in secret. NATO is able to keep secrets. Guys, I'm starting something big at the end of February. So, it would suit me if we prepared, because you see what he wants."
The former NATO vice chief of staff added that Trump wants to share the political risk and not military risk as he is "not at 4 frigates ready, he's not at 1,000 soldiers ready on the Strait of Hormuz."
Driving the knife further in, he said that it is a question of trust with Donald Trump. "It's still a guy who let the Afghans go. So, he's going to let us go the minute it's done, when we're in an operation."
He likened Trump's appeal to form a naval coalition to being on board the Titanic before it sank.
The French General said, "The fifth reason is that on the Titanic, the captain, it seems, wanted to sell cheap tickets for the dance dinner, after having hit the iceberg. It's not the time. It's really the Titanic, the operation? Yes, it's possible. It's possible. So, it's not the time to buy a ticket for the Titanic."
French General Michel Yakovleff recently took down US President Donald Trump over his appeal to countries, including the UK and France, to form a naval alliance to police the Strait of Hormuz, which continues to remain blocked as the West Asia conflict enters day 18.
When asked why France will not be a part of the proposed, General Yakovleff said that the country has five main reasons to say no to Trump. He said that the first and foremost reason to say no to Trump is that he does not understand that if he wants to carry out an operation against NATO, the latter has to take command.
"It's only one operation. That means you're putting your operation under NATO's flag. I'm not sure he understood that," the General said. He added that for that to happen, NATO will have to agree, but not before saying the ball is in America's court.
"It's up to the Americans to put on the table our sought-after final effect and our strategic objectives. Well, opening the Strait of Hormuz is already an objective. We can't deny it. Yes, but they have to do it for the whole operation. Because we're not going to go into something where we're told just that, and then the rest is not your problem."
Heaping further flak on the US action in Hormuz, he said that the Americans cannot heap surprises every morning. General Yakovleff added that military objectives in an operation like this cannot be decided through tweets and things that change every 2 minutes.
"Already there, it's going to be necessary for Trump himself to know what he wants. And in fact, if he wanted NATO now, it was two months ago that it started. It was two months ago. He had to tell us, even in secret. NATO is able to keep secrets. Guys, I'm starting something big at the end of February. So, it would suit me if we prepared, because you see what he wants."
The former NATO vice chief of staff added that Trump wants to share the political risk and not military risk as he is "not at 4 frigates ready, he's not at 1,000 soldiers ready on the Strait of Hormuz."
Driving the knife further in, he said that it is a question of trust with Donald Trump. "It's still a guy who let the Afghans go. So, he's going to let us go the minute it's done, when we're in an operation."
He likened Trump's appeal to form a naval coalition to being on board the Titanic before it sank.
The French General said, "The fifth reason is that on the Titanic, the captain, it seems, wanted to sell cheap tickets for the dance dinner, after having hit the iceberg. It's not the time. It's really the Titanic, the operation? Yes, it's possible. It's possible. So, it's not the time to buy a ticket for the Titanic."