NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday defended former US President Donald Trump’s role in the alliance, saying Trump remains highly important and deeply committed to NATO, despite growing concerns in Europe over his rhetoric.
Speaking at the European Parliament, Rutte addressed worries raised by several Members of the European Parliament about Trump’s strong statements towards Europe, including his comments on Greenland. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has previously described Trump’s threats over Greenland as potentially damaging to NATO, but Rutte took a different view.
Rutte said Trump “deserves to be defended” and credited him with pushing NATO members to increase defence spending. According to Rutte, the long-standing target for NATO countries to spend 2 percent of their GDP on defence would not have been reached without Trump’s pressure.
The 2 percent target by the end of 2025 would never have happened without President Trump,” Rutte told parliamentary committees on Security and Defence and Foreign Affairs. He argued that countries such as Spain, Italy, Belgium and Canada would not have increased their defence budgets from around 1.5 percent to 2 percent without US pressure. He also said the newer discussion around a 5 percent defence spending commitment would not exist without Trump.
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