NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte faces his toughest challenge yet at this week’s summit in Ankara, Turkiye, as US President Donald Trump shifts his demands from burden-sharing to ‘loyalty’. Since taking office nearly two years ago, Rutte has spent considerable energy flattering Trump to keep the United States anchored to the world’s largest military alliance. However, the goalposts keep moving, raising stakes for the July 2026 gathering.
From Money to Military Capabilities
Initially, Trump’s complaints focused on NATO allies spending too little on defense. At last year’s summit in The Hague, allies committed to investing as much as the US in gross domestic product terms. But the real problem now is converting that money into military capabilities, especially as European nations worry about a potential Russian attack. During a White House meeting last month, Rutte presented a chart labeled “The Trump Trillion” in gold letters, showing $1.2 trillion in spending by European allies and Canada since 2017. Trump remained unimpressed, stating, “We don’t need their money — we don’t need anything. I just want loyalty.” He also expressed disappointment that some allies refused to join the Iran war, which he launched alongside Israel without consulting them.
Rutte’s Flattery Strategy
Rutte’s approach has been heavy on flattery. In the Oval Office, he used props resembling an American flag to highlight tens of thousands of US jobs created and a $300 billion backlog in European orders for military equipment, all thanks to the “leader of the free world.” He gently pushed back on Trump’s complaints about NATO not supporting the US against Iran, noting that up to 5,000 US planes took off from European bases before an April ceasefire. This strategy worked last year, but new challenges have emerged.
US Force Reductions Undermine Unity
NATO cannot function without its biggest ally, but Europe is being pushed to fend for itself as Russia poses a greater threat. Last month, the Pentagon surprised allies by announcing it would scale back troops, warships, aircraft, and drones available for defense. Trump has sent conflicting signals about whether US troop numbers will increase or decrease. These cutbacks have undermined unity, especially as Russia probes Europe’s defenses with drone flights near military bases, according to a study released on Thursday.
Erdogan’s Role and Summit Expectations
Trump suggested he might have skipped the summit entirely if not hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom he holds in rare esteem. Erdogan’s independent streak and close ties to Trump may keep the American president at the table, but rifts remain. Each summit is meant to showcase collective security under Article 5, invoked only once after 9/11. Rutte’s predecessor, Jens Stoltenberg, wrote in his memoir about chairing a 2018 summit that Trump nearly upended, warning that if a US president refuses to defend allies, the treaty’s security guarantee becomes worthless.
Looking Ahead
Rutte has tried to convince Trump that European partners are spending more, allowing America to focus on China while they handle Ukraine. But Trump’s demand for ‘loyalty’ is hard to capture on any chart. As the summit begins, all eyes are on whether flattery and diplomacy can keep the alliance intact.
