NATO chief aims to ease strains over Iran war, troop cuts and alliance burden-sharing before crucial July gathering
WASHINGTON: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday in a high-stakes effort to ease tensions over the Iran war and Washington’s threats to reduce troops in Europe before a pivotal NATO summit in Ankara next month.
Trump, a long-time critic of NATO, has grown increasingly frustrated with the alliance over its reluctance to back the United States in the Middle East conflict or help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the US-Israeli attack on Iran disrupted the crucial oil route.
The meeting comes after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticised what he called “free-riding” allies and announced a six-month review of US troop deployments in Europe, raising the prospect of a reduction in American military presence on the continent.
Rutte seeks to steady alliance as Trump questions NATO commitment
Since Trump’s return to office, Rutte has worked to manage the president’s hostility toward the alliance and prevent repeated disputes from escalating into a deeper transatlantic crisis.
Analysts say Wednesday’s meeting is likely to focus on ensuring that the July 7-8 NATO summit does not unravel under the weight of Trump’s anger over burden-sharing and the alliance’s stance on Iran.
Tensions have mounted in recent months after NATO allies declined to support Trump’s Iran campaign, prompting the US president to question whether Washington should continue to honour NATO’s mutual defence commitment.
Ankara summit preparations intensify amid fears of deeper rift
NATO says the upcoming summit in Ankara will centre on defence spending, military industrial expansion and continued support for Ukraine. Rutte is also expected to present updated figures showing what he described as major increases in defence investment by member states.
Last year, NATO leaders agreed to raise defence and defence-related spending to 5% of GDP over the next decade, meeting one of Trump’s longstanding demands. However, while some European countries have significantly boosted military budgets, others continue to lag behind.
Rutte’s visit also includes meetings with members of Congress as concerns grow in Europe that Washington may eventually scale back its commitment to the alliance more dramatically.
Even so, Rutte has maintained close ties with Pentagon officials and continues to position himself as a stabilising figure at a moment of extraordinary strain inside NATO.
