Trump to discuss NATO exit with Rutte after Iran ceasefire: White House

Donald Trump will discuss the possibility of the United States leaving NATO when he meets alliance chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday (April 8), the White House said, accusing allies of abandoning American interests. The meeting follows a newly agreed two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Trump has voiced frustration over Western partners declining to support his military actions against Tehran, intensifying tensions within the decades-old alliance.

"It's quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks when it's the American people who have been funding their defense," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

When asked whether Trump would raise the possibility of withdrawing from NATO, Leavitt said: “It's something the president has discussed, and I think it's something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary-General Rutte.” "Perhaps you'll hear directly from the president following that meeting," she added.

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Trump has criticized NATO members as ‘cowards’ for restricting US military access to bases and declining to spearhead efforts to secure the critical Strait of Hormuz. Rutte, however, has built a reputation for maintaining dialogue with Trump and is expected to attempt to ease tensions during talks that will also include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Before the White House meeting, Rutte held discussions with Rubio on Iran, the Russia-Ukraine war, and NATO commitments. “The two leaders discussed Operation Epic Fury, ongoing US-led efforts to bring a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war, and increasing coordination and burden shifting with NATO Allies,” said State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

NATO has faced repeated strain since Trump returned to office, including disputes over defense spending, US troop commitments in Europe, and his controversial proposal to take control of Greenland. Rutte, often described as a ‘Trump whisperer’, has sought to keep the alliance intact, including backing US actions against Iran as something to ‘applaud’. Trump has praised Rutte personally, calling him ‘a wonderful guy’, even as he claimed NATO countries had ‘gone out of their way not to help’ in Middle East efforts.

A NATO official said Rutte aims to address global security challenges, including Iran and Ukraine, and build on agreements made at last year’s summit in The Hague to increase defense spending. Trump has long criticized NATO, previously labeling it ‘obsolete’ and considering withdrawal. Concerns have deepened as even traditional supporters like Rubio have suggested Washington may need to reassess its role in the alliance.

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