NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will travel to Washington next week for a scheduled meeting with U.S. officials. Reuters reported that the visit comes after U.S. President Donald Trump criticized European allies over disagreements related to the war with Iran. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said, “I can confirm that the Secretary General will travel to Washington next week for a planned visit.” No further details about the meeting agenda have been released. Trump had previously said he was considering withdrawing the United States from NATO, arguing that some European members had refused to deploy ships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He also described France, the United Kingdom, and some other allies as “paper tigers,” emphasizing that the United States might never need their support.
