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The pursuing is the transcript of the interrogation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that aired connected "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" connected March 22, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We crook present to NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, who joins america this greeting from The Hague successful the Netherlands. Welcome backmost to 'Face The Nation.'
NATO SECRETARY GENERAL MARK RUTTE: Margaret, bully to beryllium backmost connected the program. Good morning.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Good morning. We did spot that Iran fired 2 missiles astatine Diego Garcia. That's that land successful the Indian Ocean, which houses a U.S. UK associated base. That was 4000 kilometers from Iranian territory, furthest Iran has ever gone. You conscionable heard Ambassador Waltz accidental determination mightiness beryllium a quality determination successful however Israel and the U.S. measure that capableness Iran has successful presumption of what they fired. But Israel says these were intercontinental ballistic missiles that could deed Berlin, Paris and Rome. Does NATO stock that Israeli assessment?
SECRETARY GENERAL RUTTE: We cannot corroborate that astatine the moment, truthful we're looking into that. But if this would beryllium true, it is the much grounds that what the President is doing here, taking retired the ballistic rocket capability, taking retired the atomic capableness from Iran, is crucial. And precisely arsenic the ambassador conscionable said, Ambassador Waltz, we person seen with North Korea, if we negociate for excessively long, you mightiness walk the infinitesimal wherever you tin inactive get this happening done, and North Korea present has the atomic capability. If Iran would person the atomic capability, including, unneurotic with the rocket capability, it volition beryllium a nonstop threat, a existential threat, to Israel, to the region, to Europe, to the stableness successful the world. So the president doing this is crucial, and I've seen the polling, but I truly anticipation the American radical volition beryllium with him, due to the fact that helium is doing this to marque the full satellite safer.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So but conscionable to beryllium wide astatine this hour, bash you judge that Iran could weaponry Berlin, Paris and Rome? Are they each wrong nonstop menace range?
SECRETARY GENERAL RUTTE: What we cognize for definite is that they are precise adjacent to having that capability, whether this lawsuit with the UK base, Diego Garcia, we are inactive assessing. But if it is true, it means they already person that capability. If it is not true, we cognize they are precise adjacent to having that capability. And that is precisely wherefore I consciousness successful Europe, that astir politicians, it resonates with them. What the President is doing here, which is taking out- degrading Iran's capableness to be, again, an exporter of chaos, sheer chaos to the region, to the world.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I'm definite the president appreciates your praise, but helium has been precise frustrated, and made that wide this week with NATO and the European allies. He called NATO punctuation a insubstantial tiger without the US. He said they kick astir precocious lipid prices erstwhile they forced to wage but they don't privation to assistance unfastened the Strait of Hormuz. Easy for them cowards. We volition remember.
SECRETARY GENERAL RUTTE: I've been successful respective conversations this week with the president, and the bully quality is that, look, we had the U.S. for weeks readying for Epic Fury and for reasons of information and safety, they could not stock with European allies and allies astir the satellite and spouse countries what they were doing, due to the fact that that would person jeopardized the effect of the first- archetypal attack–
MARGARET BRENNAN: --Or it would person allowed you to plan
SECRETARY GENERAL RUTTE: So it is lone logical that European countries needed a mates of weeks to travel together. But astatine this moment, the bully quality is this, that since Thursday, 22 countries, astir of them NATO, but besides Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Bahrain, the UAE, person travel unneurotic to fundamentally reply 3 questions, what bash we need? When bash we request it? And wherever bash we request it? These 3 questions are present worked done to reply the president's call, to marque definite that we unafraid the escaped sailing done the Strait of Hormuz.
MARGARET BRENNAN: To beryllium clear, the president has said 4 to six weeks for this war, that would enactment america successful aboriginal April for an extremity to combat operations. But past he's besides sending troops. He's besides perchance asking Congress for much money. What's the erstwhile part? When did helium archer you your enactment from these European countries volition beryllium needed due to the fact that from the sources I talk to, they are not consenting to nonstop successful the midst of combat.
SECRETARY GENERAL RUTTE: Obviously, I cannot successful a programme which is aired astir the world, and you person a batch of viewers, sermon with you what is discussed successful secrecy, but I tin guarantee you that, of course, and the UK is- is astatine the forefront of starring this effort of the 22 countries connected the enactment of Prime Minister Starmer. I've been successful the telephone telephone this week with Prime Minister Starmer and President Macron, and again, this has led to 22 countries present signing up to this initiative. And indeed, 1 of the cardinal questions is not lone the what question and the wherever question, but besides the erstwhile question. And this is wherefore subject planners are present moving unneurotic to marque definite that we are ready, to marque definite that that street- that Strait of Hormuz, that we unafraid the escaped sailing there, which is important for the satellite economy.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The president seemed to say, though, that this volition spell beyond Iran successful presumption of the interaction connected his reasoning astir NATO and his willingness to assistance Europe. Take a perceive to this.
[DONALD TRUMP SOT]
DONALD TRUMP: I deliberation NATO is making a precise foolish mistake. And I've agelong said that, you know, I wonderment whether oregon not NATO would ever beryllium determination for us. So this is simply a this was a large test, due to the fact that we don't request them, but they should person been there.
[END SOT]
MARGARET BRENNAN: The president continues to framework this arsenic benignant of similar a quid pro quo, and he's besides mentioned Ukraine successful the aforesaid context, saying, I assistance Europe with Ukraine. Why aren't they helping me? Are you disquieted that this is going to wounded NATO's goals elsewhere?
SECRETARY GENERAL RUTTE: What I cognize is that we ever travel together. It was nether President Trump's enactment that we had the highly palmy Summit successful the Hague wherever we agreed to walk 5% of our GDPs connected defense, and truthful equalizing for the archetypal clip since Eisenhower. So this is rather immoderate time- immoderate clip backmost successful history, equalizing what the Europeans are spending and what Americans are spending, not lone due to the fact that it is just that we each walk the same, and this was a privation from Trump 45 and present is Trump 47 helium got this done, but besides due to the fact that we request it, due to the fact that of the Russian menace and our different adversaries. Then connected Ukraine, it is again the U.S. providing captious quality enactment and weapons flow, moving unneurotic with Europeans to unafraid Ukraine's combat against the Russians, making definite they person what they need. And present with Iran, I'm perfectly convinced, and I recognize the president's vexation that it takes immoderate time, but again, I besides inquire for immoderate understanding, due to the fact that nations had to hole for this, not knowing and for bully reasons astir the archetypal onslaught connected Iran, but present coming unneurotic to marque definite that we tin beryllium capable to unafraid the Strait of Hormuz.
MARGARET BRENNAN: No but to beryllium clear, I've spoken to immoderate NATO members who accidental this is simply a antiaircraft alliance, not an violative one. We didn't motion up to spell bash what the president is asking america to do. But connected the Russia constituent you conscionable made, the European Council president said the U.S. determination to assistance sanctions connected Russian lipid exports. Is precise concerning arsenic it impacts European security. This is portion of what President Trump's doing to effort to halt the spike successful lipid prices present astatine home, the Treasury Secretary says this means astir $2 cardinal is going to Russia now, President Zelenskyy says it's much similar 10 billion. Doesn't this payment Vladimir Putin?
SECRETARY GENERAL RUTTE: Well, this is the happening the president has to equilibrium each these antithetic interests. I cognize that helium is with his team, with Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff and Marco Rubio. They are perpetually moving with the Ukrainians to enactment maximum unit connected the Russians to travel to a deal. I know--
MARGARET BRENNAN: This isn't maximum pressure.
SECRETARY GENERAL RUTTE: --I spoke an hr and a fractional with President Zelenskyy successful London. He wants to get the woody done, and we person to marque definite that we besides instrumentality this to the Russians, to marque definite that they are consenting to play ball. It is the president putting that unit unneurotic with the Europeans. But again, helium has to equilibrium each these antithetic interests. So I'm not going to remark connected each constituent of what is happening here, but his effort to bring the warfare successful Ukraine to a palmy extremity is crucial. He was the lone 1 who was capable to interruption the decease fastener with Putin erstwhile helium made the archetypal telephone telephone successful February past year, and helium has consistently, with his team, done what is indispensable to enactment that pressure, of course, connected the Ukrainians, and they privation to play ball. They amusement this. They privation to extremity the war, and are besides with the Russians.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, we'll spot if Vladimir Putin wants to play ball. Secretary General, convey you for your time, and we'll beryllium close backmost with a batch much 'Face the Nation.' Stay with us.
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