NATO chief Mark Rutte meets President Donald Trump over Iran war criticism

On 24‑June‑2026 NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte met U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House Oval Office. Trump said he was “disappointed” that most NATO allies – naming the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain – had refused to support the U.S.–Israel military operation against Iran and urged “loyalty” from Europe. Rutte defended the alliance, noting that 4,000‑5,000 U.S. missions were launched from European bases during the first six weeks of the conflict and that European and Canadian defence spending had risen by almost 20 % in 2025, adding more than $1 trillion in core defence outlays since 2016 and supporting about 83,000 U.S. jobs. He presented charts in the Oval Office, praised Trump’s leadership, and said the “isolated cases” of non‑participation did not reflect the overall support of NATO members. The meeting was framed as a diplomatic effort to smooth tensions ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara on 7‑8 July, where alliance leaders will review burden‑sharing, defence‑industry investment and continued support for Ukraine. Italy later clarified that its involvement had been limited to technical and logistical assistance, not combat flights. The encounter underscores growing frictions over the Iran war, U.S. plans to reduce NATO resources, and the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz.