NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Thursday the alliance was "a bit slow" in supporting U.S. efforts against Iran but added President Donald Trump was partly to blame for not informing allies ahead of time.
Rutte addressed the Iran conflict during a speech at the Reagan Institute's Center for Peace Through Strength in Washington, D.C., a day after meeting privately with Trump at the White House.
"When it came time to provide the logistical and other support the United States needed in Iran, some allies were a bit slow," Rutte said, according to a transcript of his speech. "In fairness, they were also a bit surprised.
"To maintain the element of surprise for the initial strikes, President Trump opted not to inform allies ahead of time. And I understand that."
Trump has railed against NATO allies for not supporting the U.S. military in the conflict, which began Feb. 28 in a joint operation with Israel targeting Tehran's political leadership and military infrastructure.
He has expressed frustration that most allies refused to join the U.S.-led bombing campaign or provide military assistance, accusing them of making a "foolish mistake" by failing to help secure the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the vital waterway, causing global energy prices to surge.
He was particularly angered by Spain and France, which restricted or denied U.S. military use of their airspace and joint bases for Iran-related operations. On March 26, Trump referred to NATO as a "paper tiger" that "didn't want to join the fight to stop a nuclear-powered Iran."
Rutte said the tide is shifting and that NATO allies are "providing a massive amount of support."
"What I see, when I look across Europe today, is allies providing a massive amount of support," Rutte said. "Basing, logistics, and other measures — to ensure the powerful U.S. military succeeds in denying Iran a nuclear weapon and degrading its capacity to export chaos.
"Nearly without exception, allies are doing everything the United States is asking. They have heard and are responding to President Trump's requests.
"The United Kingdom is leading a coalition of countries that are aligning the military, the political, and the economic tools that will be required to ensure free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. This is evidence of a mindset shift."
Following his Wednesday meeting with Rutte, Trump railed against NATO on Truth Social: "NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!"
"The president, myself, we like each other," Rutte told Rachel Hoff, the Reagan Institute's policy director, after his speech. "We have been friends for many years now. I would rather have the conversation on the table instead of tiptoeing around it.
"I sensed his disappointment about the fact he felt that too many allies were not with him. I explained to him yesterday, 'Hey, Mr. President, clearly, the overwhelming majority of Europeans have done what you asked of them and what was previously agreed in these circumstances. Yes, sometimes it takes a bit of time.'
"Guess what? We have coalitions in Europe. We have sometimes the political home front to take care of.
"Sometimes it takes a couple of days. But we pulled together. And almost all of Europe did. For the U.S. to project power, on the world stage, through its partners in Europe — NATO is there of course to protect Europeans but also to protect the United States."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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