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Macron blasts Trump over Strait of Hormuz, marriage mockery

French President Emmanuel Macron's increasingly tested relationship with US counterpart Donald Trump has taken another blow as the European leader issued a stern rebuke over the Strait of Hormuz.

Macron also expressed disgust at comments Trump made at a private event mocking Macron's relationship with his wife Brigitte.

Trump has indicated recently that the US does not consider itself responsible for opening the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil shipping passage that Iran has effectively closed off following the recent attacks by Israel and the US.

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"Go to the Strait and just take it, protect it, use it for yourselves," Trump exhorted his NATO allies in his presidential address this week.

"They must grab it and cherish it. They could do it so easily. We will be helpful, but they should take the lead in protecting the oil that they so depend on."

He also previously said "the hard part" had been done, though Iran still has the capacity to strike neighbouring Gulf states and shipping remains bottlenecked and blocked.

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In response, Macron, who is on a presidential tour boosting relations in eastern Asia, said that using force to open the strait was "unrealistic".

He also appeared to rebuke Trump's inconsistencies on Iran, saying, "When we want to be serious, we don't say the opposite of what we said the day before".

Trump is known to be angry at European allies for not joining the US's attack on Iran, although the US did not discuss the campaign with any of them.

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French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron

Some nations, including Spain and Italy, have refused to allow their air bases to be used by US aircraft involved in the war.

France has sent troops to the Middle East, but as a defensive gesture to help protect allies there.

Brigitte Macron dragged into fray

While in South Korea, Macron was also asked about comments Trump had reportedly made during a speech at a private event yesterday.

"I called up France, Macron, whose wife treats him extremely badly, (he is) still recovering from the right to the jaw," Trump said.

He was likely referring to a video from last year which appeared to show Brigitte Macron shoving her husband in the face while disembarking a plane.

President Macron later said the couple had been joking.

Asked about Trump's new comments, Macron said they "weren't elegant, and they weren't up to par" but otherwise dismissed them as unworthy of attention.

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