WASHINGTON: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte met US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday in an effort to ease growing tensions between Washington and its European allies.
During the meeting, Rutte used a mix of praise and cautious pushback, arguing that allied reluctance to support the US stance on the Iran conflict was limited to “isolated cases.”
Rutte’s visit comes amid heightened strain over the Iran war and concerns in Europe over potential US troop reductions, ahead of a key NATO leaders’ summit scheduled for July in Ankara, Turkey.
During the Oval Office talks, Rutte presented charts showing increased NATO defence spending since Trump first took office in 2017.
He also pointed to extensive military cooperation during the conflict, noting that thousands of US aircraft operated from European bases. However, Italy disputed this claim, saying it had only authorised technical and logistical flights.
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Trump, who has frequently criticised NATO and previously described it as a “paper tiger,” pushed back on several points during the discussion but also praised Rutte’s leadership. He reiterated his frustration with some allies, suggesting that US support had not been adequately matched.
Tensions between Washington and NATO have escalated in recent months, particularly after several European countries declined to support US military actions in the Middle East. Trump has also raised doubts about the alliance’s collective defence commitments.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has further increased pressure on European allies, criticising what he called “free-riding” and ordering a review of US troop deployments in Europe, raising the possibility of force reductions.
The alliance now heads into the July summit under significant strain, with concerns among some European members about the future direction of NATO and potential shifts in US commitment.
Following the meeting, Rutte said Trump remained “committed” to NATO, despite earlier remarks from the US president questioning allied contributions.
Trump also expressed dissatisfaction with several countries, including the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain, while praising Poland for its defence spending.
Rutte highlighted that several European nations have significantly increased their defence budgets in recent years, including Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and Baltic and Nordic states, arguing that these efforts have strengthened the alliance.
