Sawt Falasteen - Trump to discuss leaving NATO in meeting with Rutte: White House

The meeting comes one day after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Trump has expressed anger at Western partners' refusal to back his war on Iran, rocking the 77-year-old transatlantic alliance.

"It's quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks when it's the American people who have been funding their defense," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

When asked if Trump would discuss a possible withdrawal from NATO, Leavitt said: "It's something the president has discussed, and I think it's something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary-General Rutte."

"Perhaps you'll hear directly from the president following that meeting," she added.

Trump has branded NATO partners "cowards" for limiting US forces' access to bases on their territories and for refusing to lead efforts to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

But NATO's secretary-general touts a record of pulling Trump back onside -- and will be looking to do so again when he meets the president, as well as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.

Ahead of the White House visit, Rutte met with Rubio to talk about Iran, Russia's war against Ukraine and NATO responsibilities.

"The two leaders discussed Operation Epic Fury, ongoing US-led efforts to bring a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war, and increasing coordination and burden shifting with NATO Allies," said State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

- 'Obsolete' -

NATO has been thrust repeatedly into crisis since Trump returned to power last year -- most acutely by his threat to seize the vast Arctic island of Greenland from alliance member Denmark.

That followed him pulling the rug out from under Ukraine in its war against Russia, his threats not to protect allies unless they don't spend more on defense, and warnings that Washington could pull troops from Europe.

Dubbed a "Trump whisperer," Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister, has been central to allied efforts to mollify the US leader, often by means of flattery.

On Iran, he has sought to thread the needle by calling US efforts to degrade Tehran's military capability something to "applaud."

Trump has warmed to Rutte's praise, describing the secretary-general as "a wonderful guy" -- even while claiming that fellow NATO countries had "gone out of their way not to help" in the Middle East.

Speaking as Rutte headed to Washington, a NATO official said he planned to "discuss current security dynamics including in the context of Iran as well as Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine" in his talks with Trump.

And he would "seek to build on the success" of last year's NATO summit in The Hague at which allies agreed to Trump's demand to ramp up their defense spending target, the official said.

Trump has long railed against NATO, calling it "obsolete" in 2017 and mulling withdrawing.

Compounding the worries this time, however, Trump has been joined by traditional NATO supporters including Rubio, who warned last week the United States was "going to have to reexamine" the relationship in light of the rift over Iran.

The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire Tuesday barely an hour ahead of Trump's deadline to obliterate the rival country was set to expire, with Tehran to temporarily reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz.

D.Qudsi--SF-PST