Frustration is growing among US allies in the Persian Gulf over President Donald Trump’s handling of diplomatic efforts to end the conflict with Iran, with some governments questioning Washington’s reliability as a security partner, the Washington Post reported.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain have increasingly expressed dissatisfaction with the Trump administration after months of conflict and continued attacks by Iran and groups aligned with Tehran, according to the report.

The Gulf states are particularly concerned by what they see as a pattern of Trump issuing threats against Iran before subsequently softening his position while citing progress in negotiations.

Some Gulf governments have reportedly begun discussing whether it remains in their interests to continue hosting major US military facilities on their territory.

“Trump started this war, and we are paying the price,” one Gulf official was quoted as saying, adding that anger toward Washington had reached a peak.

Despite the growing frustration, Gulf countries continue to depend heavily on the United States for security cooperation and arms supplies.

Qatar and Bahrain host major US military facilities in the region.

However, the concerns have prompted some countries to explore alternative security arrangements.

A senior European official told the newspaper that the mutual defence agreement recently signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan was a signal to Washington that Gulf and regional powers were seeking to diversify their security partnerships.

“The pact shows the three powerful states are trying to diversify their security and defence partnerships. In their mind, the US is not enough,” the official said.

The White House, however, rejected suggestions that relations with Gulf allies were deteriorating.

A White House official said that Trump had “extraordinary relationships” with US partners in the region and that Washington had remained in regular contact with its allies since before the start of Operation Epic Fury.

“Iran is more isolated than ever before as a result of its terrorist actions,” the official said.

Trump has recently said Washington has two options for dealing with Iran — waiting for its economy to collapse or launching another major military operation.

The US president has also said he plans to announce that the Strait of Hormuz is US territory, a claim that has been rejected by Iran.

Tehran has mocked the proposal, arguing that a strategic international waterway cannot be claimed through a social media post.