A fresh rift has erupted between Washington and European allies as France signalled it will not join a naval task force in the Strait of Hormuz while hostilities with Iran continue. The announcement triggered a sharp response from U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested French President Emmanuel Macron may soon be out of office. The exchange comes at a tense moment as Washington pushes allies to help secure the vital oil chokepoint amid the expanding Iran conflict. With NATO partners appearing hesitant, the episode has exposed growing fractures inside the Western alliance over how far to go in confronting Tehran.