Nato chief takes veiled swipe at Keir Starmer as he addresses ‘slow to react’ allies following Donald Trump meeting

Marcus Donaldson
Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:14:58 +0000

The Nato Secretary General took a veiled swipe at the UK as he addressed some allies being “slow to say the least” in reaction to the war with Iran.

Mark Rutte was speaking on the future of the military pact after crunch talks with President Donald Trump.

He said a “mindset shift” was required after Mr Trump branded the allies “disappointing” and threatened to back out of the 32-member ⁠transatlantic alliance.

Since the launch of operations against Iran, the US leader has publicly rowed with Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the UK’s initial reticence to allow American warplanes access to British bases.

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The high-profile fallout continued throughout the conflict and has left the special relationship on frosty terms during the current fragile ceasefire with the Islamic Republic.

Seemingly addressing the tension, Mr Rutte said: “When it came time to provide the logistical and other support the United States needed in Iran, some allies were a bit slow, to say the least.”

Tempering the criticism, he added: “In fairness, they were also a bit surprised. To maintain the element of surprise for the initial strikes, President Trump opted not to inform allies in advance, and I understand that.”

“What I see when I look across Europe today is allies providing a massive amount of support, basing logistics and other measures to ensure the powerful US military succeeds in denying Iran a nuclear weapon and degrading its capacity to export chaos.

“Nearly without exception, allies are doing everything that the United States is asking... They have heard and are responding to President Trump's requests,” Mr Rutte added.

While the Nato chief appeared to criticise the British response, he also took time to specifically praise British efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz.

“The United Kingdom is leading a coalition of countries that are aligning the military, political and economic tools that will be required to ensure free passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” he praised.

Addressing Nato more broadly, Mr Rutte acknowledged that the alliance was not a “one-way” pact with the United States.

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To that end, he declared: “I am confident that a stronger Europe and a stronger Nato will not take US leadership for granted.

“Nato is changing thanks to American leadership and a collective commitment to ensuring continued freedom and security.”

Mr Rutte ensured that the alliance was “growing stronger thanks to the mindset shift underway”.

“I see a true partnership on the transatlantic horizon,” the Secretary General predicted.

Following his meeting with Mr Rutte, President Trump took to Truth Social to declare: “Nato wasn't there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again.”

Meanwhile, the Secretary General described the meeting as “very frank” and "very open”, despite clear disagreements.

Regarding the US leader’s frustration, one Nato diplomat said: “We note the frustration in Washington, but they did not consult allies either before or after starting this war.

“Nato as such would not play a role in the war against Iran, but allies want to be helpful in seeking longer-term solutions for Hormuz. With negotiations ongoing with Iran, this could be helpful,” they told Reuters.