NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is refusing to say whether President Donald Trump wants to quit the military organization. Trump's threat to leave this time comes over the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, which NATO is not a party to and was not consulted about. Trump has criticized NATO allies as "cowards." He complains that NATO ignored his call for help when Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz. Rutte has won acclaim as a "Trump whisperer," but he's struggling to keep Trump engaged in NATO. He's been praising Trump for successes in the war, and for boosting defense spending. At the same time, Rutte insists NATO will not join the war.
President Donald Trump has arrived in the Netherlands for NATO's annual meeting after injecting some uncertainty over whether the U.S. would abide by the mutual defense guarantees outlined in its treaty. Trump says it depends "on your definition" of Article 5, which says an armed attack on one member is an attack on all. The Republican president says he's committed to being friends with the NATO allies. Trump's remarks preview what could be another volatile appearance by him at a summit celebrating an alliance he has often derided. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Tuesday he has no doubt about the U.S. commitment to NATO. Trump says he's "committed to saving lives," without elaborating.
