Trump criticises Nato as alliance chief Mark Rutte describes meeting as 'very frank'
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- Former President Donald Trump criticized NATO for not supporting the US in the conflict with Iran, stating on Truth Social that "NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN."
- Trump met privately with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House, describing the meeting as "very frank" and "very open," despite clear disagreements over NATO's role.
- Trump has expressed deep reservations about NATO, threatening to quit the alliance after some member countries resisted his calls to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid rising oil prices.
- NATO Secretary General Rutte emphasized that most European countries have been supportive through logistics and basing, and credited Trump’s leadership for reducing Iran's nuclear threat, while affirming that NATO members do not view the Iran conflict as illegal.
- The US Congress has passed legislation requiring a two-thirds Senate majority or an act of Congress to approve any unilateral US withdrawal from NATO, limiting the president’s ability to exit the alliance independently.
