KABUL: President Donald Trump held a closed‑door meeting at the White House with NATO secretary‑general Mark Rutte following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran.
The Associated Press reported early today on the meeting and said it was expected to help temper Trump’s anger toward NATO.
After the meeting, the president repeated his earlier criticisms of the alliance’s lack of cooperation in the U.S. campaign against Tehran in a post on his social platform (Truth Social). Trump wrote: “NATO wasn’t there when we needed it, and if we need it again it won’t be there.”
Although Trump and Rutte were expected to discuss the possibility of the U.S. withdrawing from NATO, it is not yet clear what conclusions, if any, were reached.
During the 41‑day conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran, NATO and U.S. allies largely did not respond to Trump’s requests to join Washington against Tehran.