The NATO Meeting with Mark Rutte
According to Politico, President Donald Trump tore into NATO after a two-hour private meeting with Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday. Rutte exchanged his views as well. Trump is entertaining an American withdrawal from the alliance after they refused to help with Iran. He is also angry about Greenland. We are the only ones who can protect Greenland, and Russia and China are moving in on it.
“I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration,” Trump said about withdrawal from NATO last week. Trump was back on Truth Social Wednesday evening: “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.”
The Diplomatic Response:
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is asked if President Trump said he was going to try to withdraw from NATO or, at the very least, not support NATO as much as other presidents have.
Rutte doesn’t say no and instead pivots.
NATO is in trouble with Trump. pic.twitter.com/psZkpp3QXY
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) April 8, 2026
Move Troops Out of NATO?
Mark Rutte has so much sucking up to do https://t.co/00VLKPAsex
— Matthew Ford (@warmatters) April 8, 2026
Great Idea Economically?
“Donald Trump is threatening to leave NATO because they are “useless freeloaders.” He went on to threaten to stop trying to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, since the oil goes to Europe and China. So, if they want it, they should, quote, build up some courage and take it. Will the Iran war end NATO and the global free ride, where America spends hundreds of billions policing the world so they can backstab us on trade and war?” asks Peter St. Onge, PhD.
Trump has raged against NATO for not supporting the US, and even obstructing and blocking joint air bases. At times, the UK, France, and Italy sound like they are on Iran’s side. Some will tell you differently, but we pay most of NATO expenses. Many still don’t pay their bills, and some are finally paying the 3%, but Trump wants 5%. Some promise to pay in the future.
Most of the member nations have spent little on defense and let their militaries suffer. As a result, they can’t defend themselves.
We monitor the seas and the air for them and have been there for their wars. Meanwhile, Europe wastes its money on cockamamie ideas.
St. Onge:
“An interviewer asked Trump if he’s reconsidering US membership in NATO, to which he replied, “I’d say it’s beyond reconsideration. We were there for them in Ukraine, they were not there for us. So why are we in NATO? With the exception of token forces in Afghanistan, we’ve gotten literally nothing from the Alliance. We have indeed spent trillions on one study by the Foreign Policy Research Institute, which estimates roughly 25% of our military budget is for Europe, so over 200 billion a year. Rand estimates it’s closer to 300 billion, which is 47% of the collective costs. Note, that’s just ongoing costs. It does not include the Ukraine’s, nor the Bosnia’s and Kosovo’s that came before it.
Now, 300 billion is more than Somali leering centers. In fact, it’s enough to cancel the income tax for everybody up to 100,000 per year. “But differently, 300 billion is enough to cancel all tax on business, which would steal every large company and job from Europe. If you tallied up over the 80 years of NATO. It comes to roughly $10 trillion in today’s terms. You are welcome Europe.”
“NATO is useless. It’s expensive. It drags us into endless wars. What would it take to leave? So any member can leave NATO with one year’s notice, but Congress passed a law two years ago, saying it takes two-thirds approval to exit, which will not happen. There’s enough America Last Republicans and Dems will vote no to spite Trump. That leaves a quiet quit, which Trump can do on his own to bring our troops home. Cut off all funding. You’re still a member, but you’re not paying, and you are not fighting their wars. Trump uses threats to get compliance. So maybe this is just signaling to get Europe off its butt, but hopefully it’s real, and we can finally ditch Europe’s freeloaders.”
Trump threatens to quit NATO.
We spend $300 billion a year defending Europe — including their war in Ukraine. But when we need them they don’t lift a finger.
What it would take to leave. pic.twitter.com/sJTOAqaGle
— Peter St Onge, Ph.D. (@profstonge) April 6, 2026