NATO rolls over for Trump, allowing strikes on Iran from EU bases

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has claimed that between 4,000 and 5,000 US planes took off from European bases during Trump’s illegal war against Iran.

Trying to ease Trump’s disappointment at Europe’s lack of enthusiasm for Trump’s deranged war, Rutte said:

I would argue it would have been very difficult to do Iran without having Europe as a power projection platform for the United States.

Sitting beside President Donald Trump on Wednesday at the White House, Rutte repeatedly praised the US leader as the “leader of the free world.” He described Trump as taking “responsibility beyond the shores of the United States.”

He also said that the NATO alliance was stronger because of Trump.

NATO chief’s ass-kissing diplomacy

The NATO chief even got placards to impress Trump — the standard cringeworthy obsequiousness we expect from Rutte.

One placard was called “The Trump Trillion”, showing a $1.2 trillion increase in defence spending by NATO allies in Europe and Canada since the president first took office in 2017.

OMG — Rutte even brought visual aids to enhance his Trump ass kissing pic.twitter.com/SAtjCOl4vc

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 24, 2026

Trump meanwhile, continued to say he was disappointed with Italy, France, Germany and the UK lack of support, singling out Spain as a “horror show.” He did praise Poland though, saying their support as a NATO member was “very good.”

Burnham — extremely liberal according to Trump

During the meeting with Rutte, Trump was asked by reporters what he thought of Andy Burnham, the potential next UK PM.

Trump replied:

I hear he’s extremely liberal. That means he probably won’t open up the North Sea.

You know I gave Keir Starmer some pretty good advice, I said open up the North Sea.

The Republican president has repeatedly harped on about his need for the UK to increase its oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.

He also said the UK was “dying” while buying oil from Norway.

Italy hits back at Rutte

On Tuesday, NATO’s Rutte had also shared on Fox News, that 500 US warplanes utilised Italian bases specifically during Trump war of aggression on Iran. Furthermore, this was a notable detail.

That figure was part of the total of up to 5,000 US takeoffs. Rutte said these operated from European bases overall.

He also boasted that Bucharest airport in Romania had to cut down on commercial air flights for US. forces to store tanker facilities there.

However, Reuters reported that Rutte’s comments about Italian bases sparked a “political backlash” in Italy.

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has firmly rejected the suggestion of combat involvement, clarifying that Italy’s support was strictly limited to technical and logistical, non-kinetic activities.

Italy rebukes NATO’s Rutte over remarks on US use of bases in Iran war https://t.co/LJRz5oug94 https://t.co/LJRz5oug94

— Reuters (@Reuters) June 24, 2026