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NATO chief faces challenge as Trump heads to summit
Since he started work as NATO secretary-general almost two years ago, Mark Rutte has spent much of his time trying to keep the United States anchored to the world’s biggest military alliance, employing outright flattery to dissuade U.S. President Donald Trump from acting on threats to abandon it.
President Donald Trump pushed NATO allies for years to spend more on defense, finally winning a commitment from other nations to match the U.S. contribution in terms of GDP. But, heading into this week’s summit in Turkey, the president’s top concern appears to have shifted.
What they're saying:
"We don’t need their money — we don’t need anything. I just want loyalty," Trump said during a visit last month by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The president had expressed disappointment that some NATO allies did not join the conflict with Iran.
The backstory:
Trump indicated that he considered not attending the summit, crediting the fact it was being hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a factor in his decision to go. Trump’s comments are an indicator that Erdogan and Rutte may have to keep the summit on track.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump speak during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on June 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Meeting with Zelenskyy
Trump will meet with the presidents of Ukraine and Syria, as well, during his trip, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly confirmed.
The meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy comes as his nation has shown a greater ability to strike deeper into Russian lands. Zelenskyy has said that there is "a real prospect of ending this war," and he hopes the meeting in Ankara will be a step in that direction.
The White House is expected to be in contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the meeting. A senior U.S. official told Associated Press reporters Sunday that Trump is feeling a sense of urgency to end the war, which has entered its fifth year.
U.S. officials have not stated why the president is meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, but Trump has suggested that Syria join the fight against Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy that operates in Lebanon.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from The Associated Press. This story was reported from Orlando.