In a tense Oval Office meeting on Wednesday night, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte tried to flatter President Donald Trump and present a picture of strong European backing for the war against Iran. Rutte called Trump the “leader of the free world” and brought two large charts labeled “Trump’s trillion” and “Trump effect 47” to highlight what he described as Trump’s success in pushing NATO countries to raise defense spending.
Rutte told Trump that the issue was Iran’s near-breakthrough toward nuclear capability and said that thousands of American aircraft sorties had taken off from European bases during the six-week conflict. He also tried to argue that the alliance’s European members had stood with Washington. Trump cut him off and rejected the claim bluntly, saying, “They didn’t.”
Trump then aired his grievances against Europe, saying he was disappointed in Italy, Britain, Germany and France, and called Spain “a horror show.” He said he did not need European money, only “loyalty,” and mocked the allies by saying, “Give us a little boost, give us a little kiss. We don’t want much.”
The confrontation reflected worsening tensions between the Trump administration and NATO’s European leaders over the Iran war. Britain, Italy and Spain had refused or delayed access to their military bases during the fighting, angering Trump. German leaders criticized the United States for acting without consultation or formal NATO approval, while France declined to join efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In response, the Trump administration ordered American forces to be pulled from European countries, a move that put the NATO alliance at risk.
