But a Trump post on social media hours after the meeting made no mention of a pullout and simply repeated the president’s complaints about the alliance. Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister who has pursued such a deferential approach to Trump that last year he called the president “daddy,” has cheered the Iran war. “He is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies, and I can see his point,” Rutte told CNN after the meeting. The measure was spurred by worries that Trump, if he returned to power, might try to quit the alliance. But although his strategy of flattery and transaction clinched a deal on NATO defense spending and helped find an off-ramp on Greenland, it has yet to pay off this time.

Source: Washington Post April 09, 2026 11:11 UTC