Tensions between the US and its NATO partners escalated this week, as President Donald Trump voiced sharp dissatisfaction during talks with alliance chief Mark Rutte at the White House.
"He is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies, and I can see his point," Rutte said on CNN, adding: "This was a very frank, very open discussion, but also a discussion between two good friends," Reuters reported.
The comments came after the White House underscored Trump’s frustration, with spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt quoting the president as saying NATO allies had been “tested” by the crisis and fallen short.
In recent weeks, Trump has intensified his criticism of NATO, branding it a “paper tiger” and raising the possibility of a US withdrawal from the 32-member alliance. He has argued that European allies have relied heavily on American security guarantees while offering limited support for the US-Israeli campaign against Iran.
