The White House revealed Wednesday that President Donald Trump is contemplating withdrawing the United States from NATO and will discuss the matter with Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Trump-Rutte Meeting and Potential Discussions About the Alliance’s Future
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that President Trump is discussing the possibility of withdrawing the U.S. from NATO and intends to discuss this with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Leavitt responded to a question regarding whether Trump still considered withdrawing the U.S. from the North Atlantic Alliance, stating, “That’s something the president is discussing, and I think he will be talking to Secretary General Mark Rutte this afternoon.” She did not rule out Trump commenting on the issue after the meeting.
Trump’s Criticism of NATO Allies
Leavitt also quoted Trump’s message regarding NATO: “They’ve been tested, and they’ve failed.” He added, “And I would say it’s pretty sad that NATO has turned on Americans in the last six weeks while America has been funding their defense.” This statement was a response to declarations from NATO countries expressing their readiness to assist with opening the Strait of Hormuz.
Disagreements Over Iran and Military Access
The meeting with Rutte is scheduled for 9:30 PM Polish time, following a series of critical statements from Trump about the Alliance, including openly considering a U.S. exit. Trump justified this stance based on the position of some countries regarding the conflict with Iran.
The U.S. President specifically criticized the United Kingdom and Spain for initially refusing to allow U.S. forces to use bases in their countries and for declining to send ships to secure the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, Trump emphasized that while he likes Rutte and considers him a “great person,” he was disappointed with the Alliance.
The Greenland Dispute
“If you want to know the truth, it all started with Greenland. We want Greenland. They don’t want to give it to us. And I said, papa,” Trump stated at the conclusion of Monday’s press conference.
Greenland, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark, became the subject of a sharp diplomatic dispute between the United States, with its president declaring an intention to take over the island, and Denmark, along with several NATO-supporting countries. Trump later announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he would not use military force to gain control of the island and waived additional tariffs on goods from eight European countries that sent military delegations to Greenland.