NATO Chief Says Allies Were Slow to Assist in Iran War but Were Also Caught Off Guard

Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration that NATO allies did not join the United States and Israel in their coordinated war on Iran.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte gestures as he speaks during the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 21, 2026. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on April 9 that U.S. allies were slow to assist after they were caught off guard by strikes that the United States and Israel carried out on Iran without first notifying the alliance.

Rutte acknowledged the tension between the United States and NATO allies during an interview at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Washington. He said European allies “were a bit slow” in providing logistical support after the United States and Israel started a war with Iran on Feb. 28.