NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday praised US President Donald Trump for his actions against Iran, stating that the US took responsibility beyond its shores as the leader of the free world. Rutte made the remarks during a meeting with Trump at the White House.
Nuclear Threat from Iran
Rutte emphasized that Iran was on the verge of acquiring nuclear capabilities, which would have posed a threat to the region and the entire world. He noted that all G7 leaders applauded the US for degrading Iran's nuclear capability. "This is a country which is exporting chaos, it is exporting terrorism. And they were very near to getting their hands on the nuclear capability," Rutte said.
European Support During Conflict
Addressing debates about European allies' support, Rutte highlighted that during the six-week war until the ceasefire in mid-April, 4,000 to 5,000 US planes took off from European bases. He cited the closure of Bucharest airport in Romania for commercial traffic to accommodate US tanker aircraft. "Generally speaking your European allies have been there with you," Rutte assured Trump.
Defense Spending Increase: 'Trump Trillion'
Rutte presented charts showing the impact of Trump's presidency on NATO defense spending. He introduced the "Trump Trillion," indicating that Europeans and Canadians have increased defense spending by $1.2 trillion since Trump took office in 2017. Specifically, the effect of Trump's second term (Trump 47) resulted in an extra $140 billion in nominal defense spending in 2025 and 2026, with an additional $120 billion expected this year, totaling over $250 billion in two years.
Jobs and Investment in the US
Rutte noted that European investment supports 195,000 US jobs: 83,000 from European companies investing in the US, and 112,000 from European defense spending on US industrial output. Last year, Europe spent $54 billion on US defense industrial output. Rutte added that there is an order backlog of $300 billion for European defense purchases from the US over the next few years.
Need for Increased Defense Production
Rutte acknowledged that both the US and Europe are not producing enough defense equipment, and stockpiles need replenishment due to the Ukraine war. He praised Trump's signing of the Defense Procurement Act, which enables companies to ramp up production. Rutte recounted a meeting with a CEO who was still trembling after a harsh discussion with Trump, saying, "This is exactly what we need because we need this extra defense output."
Context of the Visit
The meeting follows US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's criticism of allies at NATO headquarters last week and the announcement of a six-month Pentagon review of US forces in Europe, as reported by ABC News.
