Rutte Goes To Trump To Save NATO
- 8.04.2026, 16:11
His job is to prevent the alliance from deepening the rift.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is heading to the White House amid rising tensions between the US and European allies. His task is to prevent a deepening rift in the alliance, which has come under pressure over US President Donald Trump's policies and war with Iran, writes Politico (translated by Charter97.org).
Sources say the US president is increasingly irritated by European countries' refusal to back the American campaign against Tehran. In public, Trump speaks out harshly or with restraint, but behind closed doors he is unhappy all the time. He has already said he is "reconsidering" the US role in NATO, and while a formal withdrawal from the alliance requires congressional approval, he has other ways to reduce participation, from cutting funding to reducing the military presence in Europe.
In Europe, for its part, discontent is also growing. EU countries are refusing to send troops to the Gulf region and in some cases limiting the use of their infrastructure for U.S. operations. French President Emmanuel Macron has bluntly stated that Trump's policies are undermining trust in allies.
European officials say support for the US among partners is now "below zero." NATO stresses that the conflict with Iran goes beyond the alliance's core mission, but it has caused a new crisis in transatlantic relations.
Rutte, who previously managed to secure an increase in allied defense spending and soften a number of Trump's controversial initiatives, now faces his biggest test yet. He has virtually no tools for compromise: NATO has no plans to get involved in a conflict with Iran, and there is no unified position within the alliance.
It is expected that at the meeting the secretary general will rely on personal relations with Trump and convince him of the benefits of cooperation with allies. However, diplomats doubt that this will be enough.
The situation is also complicated by the unpredictability of the American leader. European politicians note that his statements change frequently, making long-term planning difficult.
Rutte's visit comes against the backdrop of a temporary ceasefire with Iran, which Trump announced shortly before the talks.