Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week, as tensions grow between Washington and the alliance.
Trump has long threatened to pull the US out of NATO and has recently criticised the bloc for staying out of his war on Iran. Rutte travelled to Washington in an effort to ease the widening divide, holding closed-door talks with both Trump and Rubio.
After the meeting, Trump took to Truth Social, saying "NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM". Rutte, meanwhile, described the discussions as “frank and open,” but offered little detail on whether the US might leave the alliance.
With divisions deepening, questions remain: can NATO withstand the pressure through the rest of Trump’s second term?
Joining Enda Brady for this discussion:
Jane Kinninmont
Chief Executive Officer at the United Nations Association
Paul King
Former Editor of NATO Review
and
Leo Michel
Former Director of NATO Policy at the Pentagon
#trump #nato #iranwar #rutte #westernalliance #iranwar
Roundtable is a discussion programme with an edge. Broadcast out of London and presented by Enda Brady, it's about bringing people to the table, listening to every opinion, and analysing every point of view. From fierce debate to reflective thinking, Roundtable discussions offer a different perspective on the issues that matter to you.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week, as tensions grow between Washington and the alliance.
Trump has long threatened to pull the US out of NATO and has recently criticised the bloc for staying out of his war on Iran. Rutte travelled to Washington in an effort to ease the widening divide, holding closed-door talks with both Trump and Rubio.
After the meeting, Trump took to Truth Social, saying "NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM". Rutte, meanwhile, described the discussions as “frank and open,” but offered little detail on whether the US might leave the alliance.
With divisions deepening, questions remain: can NATO withstand the pressure through the rest of Trump’s second term?
Joining Enda Brady for this discussion:
Jane Kinninmont
Chief Executive Officer at the United Nations Association
Paul King
Former Editor of NATO Review
and
Leo Michel
Former Director of NATO Policy at the Pentagon
#trump #nato #iranwar #rutte #westernalliance #iranwar
Roundtable is a discussion programme with an edge. Broadcast out of London and presented by Enda Brady, it's about bringing people to the table, listening to every opinion, and analysing every point of view. From fierce debate to reflective thinking, Roundtable discussions offer a different perspective on the issues that matter to you.
