NATO chief Rutte to meet Trump at White House ahead of summit

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is set to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, aiming to ease tensions within the military alliance ahead of its upcoming summit. The visit comes at a critical juncture, with the Pentagon currently reviewing the U.S. military presence in Europe and Trump having long expressed dissatisfaction with NATO's defense spending and perceived burden-sharing.

Trump has intensified his criticism of the alliance, particularly since the start of the Iran war, expressing frustration over some member countries' responses to his calls for assistance. His threats to withdraw from NATO have raised the stakes for the alliance's summit in Turkey next month. Rutte, known for his diplomatic approach with Trump, is expected to use the meeting to address these concerns and reassure the U.S. president.

The meeting follows recent remarks by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who criticized European allies for their perceived lack of support in operations related to Iran. Hegseth also announced a six-month review of American forces stationed in Europe, a move that could further unsettle allies. Rutte has previously sought to manage Trump's frustrations by highlighting increased defense spending among NATO members, crediting Trump's pressure for pushing allies to commit to investing 5% of their GDP on defense within a decade.

Rutte has employed various strategies to engage with Trump, including public praise and sharing private communications, which have at times drawn attention. His efforts are aimed at maintaining U.S. commitment to NATO, an alliance founded to counter Soviet threats during the Cold War and which has only invoked its mutual defense clause once, in support of the U.S. after the September 11 attacks.