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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that European allies had 'let down' the United States during the recent conflict with Iran, reiterating frustration that NATO members did not offer assistance. Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said Washington did not need help but would have welcomed a show of support.

'We were let down. We didn't need help on this at all. We demolished (Iran) literally in the first week but it would have been nice if they would have said, We'd like to help,' Trump said, as reported by France 24. Al Jazeera and TASS also quoted Trump saying he was 'let down' and that it would have been nice if allies had offered to help.

NATO chief Mark Rutte, sitting across from Trump, defended European countries' contributions to the war effort. According to multiple outlets, Rutte said that 4,000 to 5,000 US planes took off from bases in Europe during the conflict, and that 'it would have been very difficult to do Iran without having Europe as a power projection platform for the United States.'

Coverage Comparison

The meeting took place at the White House, with Trump and Rutte meeting in the Oval Office on June 24, 2026, as reported by Al Jazeera, France 24, Jerusalem Post, and TASS. The US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, according to France 24, which also noted that Trump did not consult NATO ahead of time.

Trump's criticism of NATO comes just two weeks before leaders from the 32 member nations are set to meet for a July 7-8 summit in the Turkish capital of Ankara, as reported by Al Jazeera and France 24. The meeting with Rutte was seen by some critics as an attempt to soothe the US president, with Al Jazeera noting that Rutte is widely viewed as sympathetic to Trump.

In an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara in July, Rutte addressed criticism he receives for how he deals with Trump. He said that disputes between Trump and other NATO leaders showed the alliance's democratic strength and should serve as a lesson for Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'If people are doing good stuff, I will say so. If I do not agree, I will also say so, but then probably not out in the open, and try to maintain the unity of the alliance,' Rutte said, as reported by Jerusalem Post. He also said he saw no need to change his approach, adding, 'They knew what they got when they hired me, and I'm who I am.'

Key Claims

  • Trump expressed disappointment with NATO members for not supporting the US-Israel war on Iran, saying he was 'let down' by them. This was reported by Al Jazeera, France 24, Jerusalem Post, and TASS.
  • NATO chief Mark Rutte defended the conduct of NATO countries, stating that 4,000 to 5,000 US planes took off from bases in Europe during the war. This was reported by Al Jazeera, France 24, and Jerusalem Post.
  • The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, as reported by France 24.
  • Trump praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for staying out of the war, saying Erdogan was 'a prime candidate to go into the war with Iran, maybe on the Iran side, because he's not a big fan of Israel,' as reported by Jerusalem Post.
  • Trump said he would 'probably do something' to make Turkey 'very happy' regarding fighter jets and jet engines, according to Jerusalem Post.

Perspectives

Trump's view: The US President reiterated that NATO allies did not do enough during the Iran conflict, saying 'We're disappointed with most of them.' He claimed the US 'didn't need help' but that it would have been nice for allies to offer support.

NATO Secretary General Rutte's view: Rutte defended European contributions, citing the thousands of US flights from European bases. He also emphasized the US commitment to NATO, telling journalists after the meeting that Trump is 'completely committed to the NATO alliance' and that Washington would 'absolutely' protect Europe in case of attack, as reported by France 24.