NATO’s chief diplomat, Mark Rutte, stole the spotlight at the recent NATO summit in The Hague, lavishing praise on US President Donald Trump and cementing a diplomatic masterstroke. Rutte, known for his charm and boyish grin, deployed his easygoing demeanor to soothe Trump’s ego and burnish the president’s image.
The Dutch PM’s sycophantic messages on Trump’s Truth Social account set the tone for the summit, with Rutte praising Trump’s actions on Iran and NATO. Despite initial skepticism, Rutte’s kowtowing tone appeared to yield results, as the US president’s signature on a historic defense spending deal proved a major coup for NATO.
Trump’s decision to attack Iran’s nuclear program was “extremely impressive,” according to Rutte, who described the signal it sends as one of peace and strength. The Dutch PM also softened Trump’s landing after a fiery news conference, where he slammed Spain over its foot-dragging on defense spending.
The summit’s historic result saw NATO members unanimously agree to boost spending to post-Cold War highs, with leaders singling out Trump as the sole pressure responsible for corralling allies into previously unthinkable spending targets. Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene both credited Trump with securing the deal.
Despite concerns about diplomatic spats with Trump, casualties were fewer than expected. Only Spain was left fuming over its 5% GDP spend, with Trump threatening to use trade talks to force Madrid into line. Even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emerged from the summit with wins, including a potential deal on future Patriot missile system deliveries.
As for Trump’s own views on NATO, Rutte’s diplomatic savvy appeared to have reversed his famously transactional stance. The US president praised the NATO leaders’ love of their countries and described the alliance as an opportunity to help them protect their nation.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/25/europe/rutte-daddy-trump-nato-ukraine-intl-latam