Trump to discuss leaving NATO in meeting with Rutte

Rutte -- the former Dutch premier dubbed the "Trump whisperer" for his skill in flattering the mercurial US leader -- entered the West Wing through a side gate and their meeting was being held behind closed doors.

"It's quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks when it's the American people who have been funding their defense," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Asked if Trump would discuss a possible withdrawal from NATO, Leavitt said: "It's something the president has discussed, and I think it's something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary General Rutte."

The meeting comes one day after the United States and Iran agreed to a fragile two-week ceasefire. 

Trump has expressed anger at Western partners' refusal to back his war on Iran, rocking a transatlantic alliance that at the age of 77 is only two years younger than him. 

The US leader has branded NATO a "paper tiger" for refusing to lead efforts to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz and for limiting US forces from using bases on their territories.

Trump has lashed out at several of them personally, lambasting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as "no Winston Churchill" and ridiculing Britain's aircraft carriers as "toys."

To punish NATO members seen as being unhelpful, the Trump administration is considering a plan to move out US troops and station them in other countries viewed as more supportive of the US war in Iran, according to a WSJ report.

But the plan would fall short of Trump's oft-hinted threats to pull the United States out of NATO entirely -- a move for which he would need the approval of Congress.

- 'Daddy' -

NATO's secretary general, however, boasts a record of pulling Trump back onto his side.

Ahead of the White House visit, Rutte met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to talk about Iran, Russia's war against Ukraine and NATO responsibilities.

"The two leaders discussed Operation Epic Fury, ongoing US-led efforts to bring a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war, and increasing coordination and burden shifting with NATO Allies," said State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

Rutte will also meet with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth during his time in Washington.

NATO has been roiled by crisis after crisis since Trump returned to power last year -- most acutely by his threat to seize the vast Arctic island of Greenland from alliance member Denmark.

Earlier this week Trump said his problems with NATO "all began" with Greenland -- although he has been threatening to pull out since his first term.

In recent months he has also pulled the rug out from under Ukraine in its war against Russia and threatened to not protect allies unless they spend more on defense. 

Russia and China have been watching with glee as Trump rubbishes the alliance.

Rutte has been central to allied efforts to flatter and mollify the US leader, whom he called "daddy" at a summit last year.

On Iran, he has sought to thread the needle by calling US efforts to degrade Tehran's military capability something to "applaud."

Speaking as Rutte headed to Washington, a NATO official said he planned to "discuss current security dynamics including in the context of Iran as well as Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine" in his talks with Trump.

bur-dk/jgc