NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is working to keep the alliance united and Donald Trump engaged. Since starting his role almost two years ago, Rutte has spent much of his time trying to keep the United States anchored to the world's biggest military alliance.
The NATO chief often employs outright flattery to dissuade the U.S. President from acting on threats to abandon the alliance. However, disputes over burden sharing, US military commitments, and the Iran war are creating a major test for NATO unity.
As NATO leaders gather for this week's summit in Turkey, Europe is preparing to shoulder more of its own defense.