Video: Watson/Lucas Zollinger
June 25, 2026, 5:35 p.mJune 25, 2026, 5:35 p.m
On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited the White House to defuse tensions between his organization and the US President. He relied on “a mixture of flattery and gentle resistance,” as Reuters diplomatically describes it. You can see for yourself in our video compilation:
Video: Watson/Lucas Zollinger
The NATO chief’s visit to Washington came ahead of a crucial NATO summit in Ankara in July. It is obvious that Rutte is now trying to repair the damaged relationship with the USA. This was recently badly hit due to tensions in connection with the Iran war and threats from the USA to withdraw troops from Europe.
Trump sees NATO as a “paper tiger”
Trump has been a critic of NATO for years anyway and has already viewed the alliance as a “paper tiger”. He is currently upset about the reticence in the Middle East conflict and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The key oil transport route has been blocked since Israel and the US attacked Iran on February 28. As a result, none of the NATO allies supported the USA as much as they would have liked, said Trump.
Rutte wants to smooth things over
Rutte praised Trump several times during the meeting in the Oval Office. For example, two cardboard diagrams, like those Trump often uses, were used. It showed tables with the dazzling titles “The Trump Billion” and “Trump 47 Effect,” which showed the extent to which NATO countries have increased their defense spending since Trump took office in 2017.
Rutte also noted that thousands of US military aircraft operated from bases in Europe during the war and described this cooperation as a sign of support from allies. Trump was largely unconvinced, but praised Rutte’s efforts.
The NATO chief has already kowtowed to Trump in the past
Video: watson/Lucas Zollinger
One of Rutte’s most important tasks since Trump’s second election victory in November 2024 has been to manage the president’s hostility toward the alliance and prevent tense moments – including Trump’s push to acquire Greenland – from escalating into ongoing crises.
Tensions between Washington and NATO have increased in recent months. After NATO allies refused to support Trump’s Iran campaign, which he launched without prior consultation, Trump openly questioned whether the U.S. should stick with NATO’s mutual defense pact and said he was considering leaving the alliance. (lzo)
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