Watch Mark Rutte Talk Trump Off the Ledge
By Reuters | 21 Jan, 2026

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's reassurance that NATO would come to the US's aid in case of attack by Russia is hardly a new pledge, but is apparently enough of a fig leaf to cover retreat from an irrational threat to ratchet up a tariff war against Europe unless it allows the US to take Greenland.

Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General

"There is one thing I heard you say yesterday and today, you were not absolutely sure that Europeans would come to the rescue of the U.S., if you would be attacked. Let me tell you, they will." // "So you can be assured absolutely, if ever the U.S. would be under attack, your allies will be with you. Absolutely, there is absolute guarantee."

TRUMP: "Well, I hope that that's true. I mean, he's a good man and he's never lied to me before. You know, we've had a good relationship. And he made this statement, that's nice. I just, you know, when I see what's happening with Greenland, I wonder, because I want Greenland for security, I don't want it for anything else. // No, this is security we're talking about. And I can say one thing about Mark, he wants security and he wants security for all of us. You know, we're a member of NATO. He wants security for NATO and beyond."

Trump backed down from some of his sternest threats on Greenland on Wednesday, withdrawing a threat to impose tariffs on a number of nations, saying a deal on the issue was in sight and saying he would not use force.

"We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st."