Trump reiterates disappointment over Germany – Rutte defends Berlin at the White House

Trump also spoke favorably of Rutte. Rutte had done really good work and was respected by everyone, the US President said. Trump also found friendly words for Ukrainian President Zelensky. He was brave, was doing quite well, and had great fighters, he said.

Rutte contradicts – and cites Germany as an example

Mark Rutte showed a basic understanding of the US President's frustration, but partially rejected the criticism of the European alliance partners. These were "isolated cases," Rutte said. Germany, for example, had "fulfilled its bilateral obligations" toward the United States, Rutte said. In addition, the German government had significantly increased its defense spending as demanded by Trump.

Rutte pointed to increased defense spending in European countries, explicitly mentioning Germany as well. With this argument, the NATO Secretary General attempted to defuse the tensions between Washington and the European capitals ahead of the upcoming summit.

Summit in Ankara as the framework

According to NATO, the meeting with Rutte was about preparing for the summit on 7 and 8 July in the Turkish capital Ankara. Before the meeting, Rutte had participated via video link in a meeting of the E5 group on supporting Ukraine in Berlin.

Trump also justified his dissatisfaction with US military spending in Germany. The United States had paid "hundreds of millions of dollars" for the troops stationed in Germany, he said. The relationship between the United States and the other NATO allies has been strained for some time. Trump has repeatedly pressed European states in the past to take on more responsibility for their own defense.

Background of the tensions

The remarks come at a time when Trump has repeatedly played with the scenario of not defending alliance partners in a conflict. Most recently, he had renewed this threat. The German government in Berlin has so far reacted cautiously to the recurring accusations from Washington.

During the appearance in the Oval Office, Rutte tried to smooth things over without openly contradicting Trump. By combining an understanding of the American position with an emphasis on increased German defense spending, he sought a middle ground between alliance loyalty and the rejection of sweeping accusations.

Ukraine aid and Zelensky

The meeting at the White House also underscored the special role that the Ukraine war is playing in the talks. The video conference format of the E5 group, in which Rutte participated immediately before the meeting with Trump, makes clear that the coordination of Western support for Kyiv remains on the agenda. Trump expressly praised Zelensky, but made no concrete commitments for new aid.

With a view to the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara on 7 and 8 July, the tensions between Washington and several European capitals are likely to remain the central issue. Rutte acts as a mediator who must take Washington's expectations seriously while also maintaining the cohesion of the alliance.

This news was broadcast on 25/06/2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program.