Nato chief tells BBC that Trump comments are like 'family argument'
Nato, the cornerstone of Western nations' defence, is stronger than ever. That's according to its Secretary General Mark Rutte who was speaking to the BBC
Nato, the cornerstone of Western nations' defence, is stronger than ever. That's according to its Secretary General Mark Rutte who was speaking to the BBC at the alliance's summit in Ankara. This despite some inflammatory words from Donald Trump who said how disappointed he was that Nato did not join in his war with Iran. (NATO was not consulted but in the end several countries, including the UK, let US forces use their bases to launch strikes on Iranian missile sites).
I put it to Rutte that there was a clear gap between the upbeat words of Nato officials and ministers on the one hand and the sometimes divisive comments made by the US president on the other. Trump repeated his view that the US should take control of Greenland and he called Spain "a terrible partner", though he also stressed there had been "unification" at the leaders' meeting in Ankara - and that there had been "tremendous love in that room".
"It's a bit like in a family, you have families where you never quarrel and then it bursts out completely," says Mark Rutte, a suave and eloquent politician who served as prime minister of the Netherlands two years ago. "Trump," he continues, "is completely committed to Nato. Really? What makes him so sure? After all, this is a president who has indicated in the past that pulling the US out of Nato was "beyond consideration". Here in Ankara he repeated his assertion that the US had got a poor return from "the trillions" of dollars it had invested in Nato.
"I am 100% convinced [Trump is committed to Nato]," says Rutte. "Because… I know that the United States, this president included, particularly this president, also understands that - take [US Operation] Epic Fury [against Iran], it could not have taken place at this extent without using Europe as a power projection platform.
The BriefWire