NATO Chief Rutte Affirms U.S. Commitment to Alliance Amid Trump’s Article Five Comments
“Depends on your definition. There are numerous definitions of Article Five,” Trump said when questioned by journalists en route to the summit. “I’m committed to being their friend,” he added, in comments likely to unsettle many of America's European allies.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reaffirmed on Wednesday that the United States remains "totally committed" to the alliance’s mutual defense obligations, following comments by President Donald Trump that appeared to cast doubt on Washington’s support for NATO’s core security guarantee, according to AFP.
"For me, there is absolute clarity that the United States is totally committed to NATO, totally committed to Article Five," Rutte told reporters ahead of a key summit of alliance leaders.
His remarks came in response to President Trump’s statements earlier in the day, in which he declined to unequivocally endorse NATO’s Article Five clause — the foundational principle that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
“Depends on your definition. There are numerous definitions of Article Five,” Trump said when questioned by journalists en route to the summit. “I’m committed to being their friend,” he added, in comments likely to unsettle many of America's European allies.
Despite the ambiguity, Rutte emphasized the unity of the alliance and pointed to ongoing discussions on defense spending. “There is an expectation,” he noted, “that the Canadians and the Europeans would ramp up their spending,” acknowledging long-standing U.S. concerns over unequal financial contributions to collective defense.
Later on Wednesday, NATO members are expected to approve a landmark pledge to allocate 3.5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) to core defense expenditure—roughly aligning with current U.S. spending levels—along with an additional 1.5 percent for broader security initiatives such as cybersecurity and critical infrastructure.
“This is fair, that we spend the same as the US is spending,” Rutte said, calling the commitment a necessary step to maintain a credible and balanced alliance.
