Donald Trump has again attacked NATO for not supporting the US in the Iran war, following a private meeting with its Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House.
In a post shared to Truth Social after the meeting, the US President said: NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.
Meanwhile, Rutte has described his meeting with Trump as very frank and very open, despite clear disagreements. Ahead of the talks on Wednesday, Trump had toyed with the idea of quitting the trans-Atlantic military alliance after several NATO countries resisted his calls to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ease rising global oil prices.
The White House did not disclose details of the talk. The Secretary General was at the White House for over two hours on Wednesday, although it is unknown how long the meeting with Trump lasted.
The meeting was expected to encourage Trump to recognize the importance of NATO for both the alliance and the United States. However, Trump still has significant reservations about NATO and the member countries that he believes did not assist enough before or during what he calls Operation Epic Fury.
In recent weeks, Trump has threatened to withdraw from the 32-member transatlantic alliance. When asked about NATO's role in the ongoing conflict with Iran, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt quoted Trump saying that NATO was tested and they failed, accusing member countries of turning their backs on the American people who fund their defense.
Rutte mentioned to CNN that he highlighted the assistance from many European countries regarding basing, logistics, and overflights, expressing a more balanced view of NATO's contributions.
The conflict in Iran has intensified Trump's grievances with NATO, creating perhaps the greatest challenge for the alliance in its history. Additionally, Trump's frustrations included comments about Greenland, saying: REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! Thus, the discussions surrounding NATO continue to develop amidst ongoing global tensions.
In a post shared to Truth Social after the meeting, the US President said: NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.
Meanwhile, Rutte has described his meeting with Trump as very frank and very open, despite clear disagreements. Ahead of the talks on Wednesday, Trump had toyed with the idea of quitting the trans-Atlantic military alliance after several NATO countries resisted his calls to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ease rising global oil prices.
The White House did not disclose details of the talk. The Secretary General was at the White House for over two hours on Wednesday, although it is unknown how long the meeting with Trump lasted.
The meeting was expected to encourage Trump to recognize the importance of NATO for both the alliance and the United States. However, Trump still has significant reservations about NATO and the member countries that he believes did not assist enough before or during what he calls Operation Epic Fury.
In recent weeks, Trump has threatened to withdraw from the 32-member transatlantic alliance. When asked about NATO's role in the ongoing conflict with Iran, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt quoted Trump saying that NATO was tested and they failed, accusing member countries of turning their backs on the American people who fund their defense.
Rutte mentioned to CNN that he highlighted the assistance from many European countries regarding basing, logistics, and overflights, expressing a more balanced view of NATO's contributions.
The conflict in Iran has intensified Trump's grievances with NATO, creating perhaps the greatest challenge for the alliance in its history. Additionally, Trump's frustrations included comments about Greenland, saying: REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! Thus, the discussions surrounding NATO continue to develop amidst ongoing global tensions.
