President Donald Trump speaks throughout a gathering with the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte within the Oval Workplace of the White Home, Thursday, July 18, 2019, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
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Alex Brandon/AP
BRUSSELS — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and the pinnacle of NATO have met for talks on international safety, the navy alliance mentioned Saturday.
In a quick assertion, NATO mentioned Trump and its secretary normal, Mark Rutte, met on Friday in Palm Seaside, Florida.
“They mentioned the vary of worldwide safety points going through the Alliance,” the assertion mentioned with out giving particulars.
It gave the impression to be Rutte’s first assembly with Trump since his Nov. 5 election. Rutte had beforehand congratulated Trump and mentioned “his management will once more be key to holding our Alliance robust” and that he appeared ahead to working with him.
Trump has for years expressed skepticism in regards to the Western alliance and complained in regards to the protection spending of a lot of its member nations, which he thought to be too low. He depicted NATO allies as leeches on the U.S. navy and overtly questioned the worth of the alliance that has outlined American overseas coverage for many years. He threatened to not defend NATO members that fail to fulfill defense-spending objectives.
Rutte and his crew additionally met Trump’s choose as nationwide safety adviser, U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz, and different members of the president-elect’s nationwide safety crew, the NATO assertion mentioned.
Rutte took over on the helm of NATO in October.
