Nearly all European allies responding to Trump’s requests amid Iran crisis: NATO chief

US leadership remains critical for NATO, even as European allies take on a greater share of defense, Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Thursday. “American leadership is absolutely essential if freedom is to be the rule and not the exception,” he said.

Speaking at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, Rutte stressed that Europe is now moving from dependency to partnership within the alliance. “Europe is assuming a greater and fairer share of the task of providing for its conventional defence… From that, there will be no going back,” he said.

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He credited US President Donald Trump for reviving NATO momentum. “Trump’s commitment to progress reversed more than a generation of stagnation and atrophy,” Rutte said, reminding Europe that values must be backed by hard power.

Rutte reiterated that NATO was never just about European security. “The US needed a secure Europe and a secure Atlantic, because otherwise the Russians and others might pose a threat,” he said. The alliance, he added, has always had a global dimension: “You cannot separate what happens in the Indo-Pacific from what happens in the Atlantic… This is worldwide, and we have to work together.”

Europe has faced challenges responding to US operations in Iran, but the alliance is now delivering. “When it came time to provide logistical and other support the United States needed in Iran, some allies were a bit slow, to say the least. In fairness, they were also a bit surprised. To maintain the element of surprise for the initial strikes, President Trump opted not to inform allies ahead of time,” Rutte said.


But today, Europe is stepping up. “What I see, when I look across Europe today, is allies providing a massive amount of support,” Rutte said. “Nearly without exception, allies are doing everything the United States is asking. They have heard and are responding to President Trump’s requests.”

Still, European allies are stepping up. “What I see today is allies providing a massive amount of support. Nearly without exception, they are doing everything the United States is asking. They have heard and are responding to President Trump’s requests,” he said. He highlighted ongoing coalitions ensuring free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, including contributions from the Netherlands, UK, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Bahrain, and the UAE.

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Defense spending across Europe and Canada has surged. Every NATO member now meets the 2% GDP target, with a credible path toward 5%. “Countries like Belgium, Spain, Italy, and Canada were not at 2%, yet all reached it in one go. Without President Trump, I’m not sure they would have done that in only nine to 12 months,” Rutte said.

Rutte also stressed history and shared sacrifice. “NATO was not a one-way alliance when US, European, and Canadian troops fought and sacrificed shoulder to shoulder in Afghanistan… Together, the United States and its allies in NATO will deliver on our shared commitment to secure our freedom today, tomorrow and well beyond.”

Rutte also gave a clear warning and a hopeful note that a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO must never take US leadership for granted. “Together, the United States and its allies in NATO will deliver on our shared commitment to secure our freedom today, tomorrow and well beyond.”