The White House said on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump will discuss the possibility of the United States withdrawing from NATO during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte scheduled to take place in the Oval Office within hours, EFE reports.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated during her weekly briefing that the potential withdrawal “is an issue the president has raised” and is expected to be part of the upcoming talks with Rutte.
She added that the media “may have the opportunity to hear directly from the president after this meeting, later this afternoon.”
Rutte’s visit to Washington, which had been planned in advance, comes amid heightened tensions between President Trump and NATO member states. The US leader has recently criticized allies for what he described as insufficient participation in an operation aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
“They have been tested and have failed,” Leavitt said, quoting President Trump, according to AFP.
She further stated that “it is quite sad that NATO has turned its back on the American people over the past six weeks,” adding that the United States is the main contributor to the alliance’s defense funding.
In recent weeks, President Trump has referred to NATO members as “cowards,” described the alliance as a “paper tiger,” and repeatedly threatened a potential US withdrawal from the military bloc.
The meeting between Donald Trump and Mark Rutte in the Oval Office is therefore expected to draw significant attention.
