NATO Secretary general Mark Rutte has said U.S. President Donald Trump was “clearly disappointed” that the US’s allies had refused to join its war against Iran, following a closed-door meeting in Washington on Wednesday.
Speaking to CNN after his private meeting with the U.S. president, Rutte declined to say directly whether Trump raised his threat to withdraw from the military alliance over the Iran war.
The meeting between Trump and Rutte came less than a day after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire deal that includes opening the strait of Hormuz.
Prior to the meeting, Trump had escalated his criticism of the alliance, calling it a “paper tiger” and suggesting the U.S. may consider leaving after NATO member countries ignored his call for military assistance to help reopen the critical waterway.
“He clearly told me what he thought of what happened over the last couple of weeks,” Rutte said.
