**Trump and NATO Head Discuss Global Security Issues in Florida**

Donald Trump, the U.S. President-elect, met with NATO’s Secretary General, Mark Rutte, on Friday to discuss global security matters, as announced in a statement by the military alliance on Saturday. The meeting occurred in Palm Beach, Florida, marking Rutte's first face-to-face encounter with Trump since the latter's election on November 5.

NATO’s brief statement did not delve into the specifics of the discussions but confirmed that a range of global security issues facing the alliance was covered. This meeting followed Rutte’s earlier congratulatory message to Trump, where he emphasized the importance of Trump's leadership in maintaining the strength of the alliance and expressed his eagerness to collaborate.

Trump has historically expressed skepticism about NATO, criticizing the defense spending levels of various member nations and questioning the value of the alliance. He has often characterized NATO allies as overly reliant on U.S. military support and has issued warnings about not defending NATO members that do not meet their defense spending commitments.

Additionally, Rutte and his team had meetings with other members of Trump's national security team, including Michael Waltz, Trump's appointee for national security adviser. Rutte assumed his role as NATO's Secretary General in October and has since been advocating for the importance of the alliance in maintaining global security.