The head of NATO will travel to the nation’s capital next week as tensions escalate between President Donald Trump and European partners within the military alliance.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has scheduled what officials describe as a previously arranged visit to Washington, according to alliance spokesperson Allison Hart. The White House has also verified the upcoming meeting.
“I can confirm that the Secretary General will be in DC next week for a long-planned visit,” Hart stated. Officials have not released additional information about the visit’s agenda.
The meeting occurs as Trump has expressed consideration of withdrawing the United States from the Western defense partnership, citing European nations’ unwillingness to deploy naval vessels to help clear the Strait of Hormuz.
During Wednesday’s Easter gathering at the White House with allied representatives, Trump delivered sharp criticism of France, the United Kingdom, and other partner nations, referring to them as a “paper tiger.”
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established in 1949 as a defense against potential Soviet aggression and has served as the foundation of Western security arrangements for more than seven decades. The alliance encompasses European nations alongside the United States and Canada.
“We’ve had some very bad allies in NATO,” Trump stated. “Hopefully, we’re never going to need them. I don’t think we will need them.”
