The Atlantic alliance under fire
Mark Rutte, the secretary general of NATO, has to deal with Donald Trump again. The reason: the war between the United States and Israel against Iran. A conflict where the alliance does not participate and about which no one asked.
Since it all started, Trump has not stopped criticizing Europeans. He has called them “cowards” and NATO, “paper tigers.” The transatlantic relationship is tighter than a thread.
But the serious thing came later. The American president has hinted these days that his country could leave the alliance. Their complaint: Some allies turned a deaf ear when Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz.
After speaking with Rutte, Trump unleashed his anger on social media:
“NATO WAS NOT THERE WHEN WE NEED IT, AND IT WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED IT AGAIN.”
A direct threat. And it comes from the man who has the most power within the pact.
The art of Trump whispering
How is this situation handled? Rutte is known as the “Trump whisperer.” His strategy so far has been a mix of flattery and practical coordination.
He has managed to get European allies and Canada to buy American weapons to support Ukraine. A gesture that keeps Washington engaged, at least on paper.
But this crisis with Iran is different. It is not a front where NATO has a clear mandate or a unified position. Each European capital views the conflict with its own interests and fears.
The real question is not how this war affects NATO. It’s whether the alliance can survive another Trump term if it continues down this path. The cracks are no longer theoretical. They are public statements by the most powerful president in the world.
Rutte plays a high-risk diplomatic game. And the board is the very survival of the Atlantic project.
