Mark Rutte, the secretary general of Nato, has said Donald Trump was “clearly disappointed” that US allies refused to join the war against Iran, following a closed-door meeting in Washington on Wednesday.
Speaking to CNN after the private meeting, Rutte declined to say directly whether Trump raised his threat to withdraw from the military alliance, but described the exchange as a “very frank, very open” discussion between “two good friends”. The meeting came less than a day after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire deal that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Before the meeting, Trump escalated his criticism of Nato, calling it a “paper tiger” and suggesting the US may leave after allies ignored his call for military assistance to reopen the waterway. In a post on Truth Social after the meeting, Trump wrote: “Nato wasn’t there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again.”
Earlier on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged that Trump had discussed leaving Nato. However, a 2023 US law prevents any president from pulling out without congressional approval. The law was championed by Trump’s current secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who met separately with Rutte on Wednesday.
Republican senator Mitch McConnell urged Trump to be “clear and consistent” in support of the alliance, noting that Nato allies fought alongside the US after the September 11 attacks. The alliance has been rattled over the past year as Trump reduced support for Ukraine and threatened to seize Greenland from Denmark.
