Mark Rutte tries to ease NATO tensions with Trump over Iran
Key takeaways
- The NATO chief is visiting Washington to try to ease strains over the Iran war and U.S. threats to draw down troops in Europe ahead of a pivotal NATO leaders’ summit in July in Ankara.
- Trump, a longtime NATO critic who has called the alliance a “paper tiger,” has been angered by allies’ refusal to support the U.S.
- During the Oval Office meeting, Mark Rutte used cardboard charts to show how much NATO countries have stepped up their defense spending since Trump first came into office in 2017.
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Add ARY News on Google AAResize NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte sought to calm tensions with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, using a mix of flattery and gentle pushback to argue that instances of allies’ reluctance to support the U.S. war with Iran were limited to “isolated cases.”
The NATO chief is visiting Washington to try to ease strains over the Iran war and U.S. threats to draw down troops in Europe ahead of a pivotal NATO leaders’ summit in July in Ankara.
Trump, a longtime NATO critic who has called the alliance a “paper tiger,” has been angered by allies’ refusal to support the U.S. in the Middle East conflict or help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28 disrupted the major oil shipping route.