*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2018 *

**Joint Statement by President Trump and Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands **

*July 3, 2018 *

President Donald J. Trump welcomed Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands to the White House yesterday. Both leaders note the relationship between the United States and the Netherlands is the longest unbroken, peaceful relationship between the United States and any foreign country.

President Trump welcomes the Netherlands' leadership role on the international stage including as a key member of NATO, and thanks Prime Minister Rutte for Dutch participation in critical NATO operations.

The leaders affirm that the NATO Alliance remains the cornerstone of their common security and recognize the need to share the burden for their common defense and security. The President and Prime Minister look forward to the upcoming NATO Summit to emphasize the important contribution NATO makes to American and European security.

The United States appreciates the Netherlands' planned increased deployments to, and extension of, Dutch participation in NATO's Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. The Netherlands will also extend its contribution to NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence mission in Lithuania through the end of 2020.

The President and the Prime Minister are pleased to announce that yesterday their governments consented to a Chapeau Agreement Establishing a Framework for bilateral Defense Cooperation Activities. This Chapeau Agreement will greatly facilitate their ability to enhance cooperative defense activities.

Recognizing that malicious cyber activity and disinformation campaigns pose an increasing threat to national security and prosperity, the United States and the Netherlands commit to further strengthen their ongoing cooperation on cyber issues.

Prime Minister Rutte also expresses Dutch appreciation for United States support for the Netherlands' determination to deliver justice to the 298 victims of the downing of flight Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

To further enhance mutual security, prosperity, and economic competitiveness, the two countries are working to establish Preclearance Operations at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to help identify security threats prior to boarding an aircraft bound for the United States. For travelers, preclearance operations lead to faster connections in the United States and expedite exit from United States airports upon landing.

The two leaders underscore their commitment to expanding trade and investment. The Netherlands is one of the largest foreign direct investors in the United States, and the United States enjoyed a nearly $24 billion trade in goods surplus with the Netherlands in 2017. The two leaders support Prime Minister Rutte's stated ambition that Dutch trade and investment will support one million jobs in the United States in the coming years, up from the estimated 825,000 in 2018. President Trump is also pleased to welcome the Dutch Government's plan to open a fifth Consulate General in Atlanta, Georgia. The two countries also resolved that the Netherlands will co-host the Ninth Global Entrepreneurship Summit, where American entrepreneurs and investors can connect with international counterparts. This is the first time the event will be held in the European Union.

NOTE: An original was not available for verification of the content of this joint statement.

*Categories:* Joint Statements : Netherlands, Prime Minister Rutte*.*

*Names:* Rutte, Mark*.*

*Subjects:* Afghanistan : NATO, role; Business and industry : Entrepreneurship :: International partnerships; Defense and national security : Cybersecurity :: Strengthening efforts; Homeland Security, Department of : Aviation screening and security systems, international cooperation efforts; Lithuania : NATO, role; Netherlands : Investment and business ventures in U.S.; Netherlands : Prime Minister; Netherlands : Relations with U.S.; Netherlands : Trade with U.S.; North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Ukraine : 2014 crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201800466.