NATO chief is confident U.S.-Canada trade war wouldn’t hurt allied solidarity. Others aren’t so sure [Video]

NATO’s secretary general is downplaying the threat of a trade war between the United States and Canada — two founding members of the Western military alliance — as a dispute that could be managed.

Mark Rutte, the former prime minister of the Netherlands who was appointed to the top allied political post last fall, spoke Monday in Brussels alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer following a meeting between the two.

“I am absolutely convinced that we can deal with these issues, and there are always issues between allies,” Rutte said during a joint news conference.

“There are always issues, sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller. But I’m absolutely convinced that will not get in the way of our collective determination to keep our deterrence strong.”

WATCH | NATO secretary general says alliance must endure inter-member conflicts: NATO secretary general Mark Rutte, was asked in Brussels on Monday about issues among NATO allies …