NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will visit Washington next week for what a spokesperson for the military alliance called a "long-planned visit" that comes after President Donald Trump blasted European allies over differences on the Iran war.
"I can confirm that the Secretary General will be in DC next week for a long-planned visit," NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said. A White House official also confirmed the visit.
No further details of the trip were immediately available.
Trump said he was considering pulling the U.S. out of the Western military alliance due to the refusal of European members to send ships to unblock the Strait of Hormuz.
In remarks on Wednesday to allies gathered for an Easter lunch at the White House, Trump criticised France and the United Kingdom, among other U.S. allies, as a “paper tiger."
NATO, which includes European countries, the U.S. and Canada, was formed in 1949 with the aim of countering the risk of Soviet attack and has been the cornerstone of the West's security ever since.
“We've had some very bad allies in NATO,” Trump said. "Hopefully, we're never going to need them. I don't think we will need them."
NATO, which includes European countries, the United States and Canada, was formed in 1949 with the aim of countering the risk of Soviet attack and has been the cornerstone of the West's security ever since.
Trump told Reuters on Wednesday (1 April) that he would state in an address to the nation later in the day that he was "absolutely" considering withdrawing the U.S. from the NATO alliance.
"I'll be discussing my disgust with NATO," he said of the speech. Asked if he was thinking about pulling out of NATO, he said, "Oh, absolutely without question. Wouldn't you do that if you were me?"
Trump's remarks reflect his ongoing frustration with NATO and came just hours after his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to NATO's collective defence, a concept that lies at the heart of the alliance.
Experts say it is not clear whether Trump could act unilaterally to leave the 77-year-old coalition, even though he frequently makes major decisions without congressional approval, some of which are held up by U.S. courts.
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Iran’s Revolutionary Guards targeted three vessels, seizing two of them for alleged maritime violations and transferring them to Iranian shores, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington is extending its ceasefire with Iran until Tehran submits a proposal.
Lufthansa will cut around 20,000 short-haul flights from its summer schedule as it moves to address sharply rising fuel costs linked to the Iran conflict.
Foreign investors may face stricter limits on accessing agricultural land in Uzbekistan under proposed reforms aimed at strengthening national control and improving land-use efficiency.
Iran accuses the United States of breaching a ceasefire after a commercial ship was seized in the Gulf of Oman, vowing retaliation, as Israel warns south Lebanon residents to avoid restricted areas.
Progessive Bulgaria, led by pro-Russian Eurosceptic Rumen Radev is on track to form Bulgaria’s next government, after official results showed a runaway victory for the coalition in the Balkan nation's parliamentary elections on Monday (20 April).
The architect of the modern K-pop boom, Bang Si-hyuk, is facing arrest by South Korean police over claims he illegally gained millions in an investor fraud scheme.
Pakistan is confident it can bring Iran to talks with the United States, a senior official said, citing “positive signals” from Tehran, as JD Vance is reportedly set to visit Islamabad on Tuesday for peace talks, according to Axios.
A gunman who killed seven people in a mass shooting in Kyiv on Saturday (18 April) had quarrelled with his neighbour before he opened fire on passersby, public broadcaster Suspilne cited Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko as saying on Tuesday.
Australia’s eSafety regulator has asked gaming companies, including Microsoft and Roblox, to explain how they are protecting children from sexual exploitation and radicalisation.
Florida’s Attorney General has launched a criminal probe into ChatGPT and its parent company OpenAI to investigate information the generative AI tool allegedly provided to a gunman who killed two people at Florida State University last year.
MMilitary planners from more than 30 countries are holding two-day talks in London from Wednesday to advance plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Ukraine is set to resume oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline on Wednesday, in a move Kyiv hopes will unlock a frozen €90 billion European Union aid package and ease tensions with key European partners.
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