Updated
Updated · The Boston Globe · Jun 24
Rutte Meets Trump 2 Weeks Before NATO Summit as Pentagon Reviews US Troops in Europe
Updated
Updated · The Boston Globe · Jun 24

Rutte Meets Trump 2 Weeks Before NATO Summit as Pentagon Reviews US Troops in Europe

3 articles · Updated · The Boston Globe · Jun 24

Summary

  • Wednesday’s White House meeting puts NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte face-to-face with Donald Trump just two weeks before the alliance’s annual summit.
  • The visit is aimed at steadying Trump as he again attacks NATO burden-sharing, arguing the US pays more than its fair share of military spending.
  • Trump’s complaints have intensified since the Iran war, with the president angry that some allies ignored his call to help restart oil traffic through the shuttered Strait of Hormuz.
  • The talks also come as the Pentagon reviews the size of the US military footprint in Europe, raising the stakes for next month’s summit.

Insights

Is the 'Europeanization' of NATO a sign of a stronger alliance, or a step towards America's strategic withdrawal from Europe?
With defense spending soaring, why won't key NATO allies help the US reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz?