Mark Rutte Set to Be Next NATO Chief
Mark Rutte Set to Be Next NATO Chief
The Facts
Mark Rutte, the outgoing prime minister of the Netherlands, is set to become the next NATO secretary-general as last holdout Romania confirmed its support for him on Thursday after its president, Klaus Iohannis, withdrew his candidacy.
According to the New York Times, a formal announcement could come as soon as next week, ahead of a high-level summit in Washington, D.C. Rutte would be appointed for a four-year term starting in October.
The Spin
NATO will face many major challenges in the months ahead — including the continuing war in Ukraine and a possible return of Donald Trump to the US presidency — and Rutte is the best person to lead the alliance. He's a low-key, well-connected politician who can unite the allies and bolster both defense and deterrence policies.
It's comprehensible that some may believe that Rutte is the right man to lead NATO, especially if Trump were to return to the White House. After all, he is a skilled politician who had good relations with the former US president during his first term. That's not enough, though. NATO needs someone to win over America — and Rutte just can't do that.