Licking Trump's Boots: Mark Rutte's Groveling Message to Donald Trump Before NATO Summit
- ⏱️ ~3 Min. Read
To maintain Trump's satisfaction, NATO leader Rutte is not shy about performing any action that may cause embarrassment. - To maintain Trump's disposition, NATO leader Rutte avoids feeling ashamed
Mark Rutte, the NATO Secretary General, penned an over-the-top message to U.S. President Donald Trump prior to the NATO summit in The Hague, showering him with praise for his impressive accomplishments. "Kudos, you bloody genius! The balls you've got to nail Iran - no one else had the cojones to take that leap," Rutte gushed in the letter he posted on Truth Social, echoing Trump's signature bragging style.
Rutte's office confirmed the article's accuracy, mirroring Trump's penchant for caps-lock messages. "Europe's gonna splash cash like never before, and that's your triumph, mate," the message read.
"Tonight, you're off to another flawless victory in The Hague," Rutte wrote, alluding to the NATO summit in The Hague, where NATO countries' spending targets would be determined on Wednesday. The agreement calls for allies to spend at least 3.5% of their respective GDP on defense and an additional 1.5% on defense-related infrastructure by 2035, totaling the 5% that Trump demanded from allies.
"We've twisted their arms, but they've finally consented to the five percent," Rutte's message to Trump indicated. "That's something no American president has accomplished in eons." Rutte declared on Wednesday that he had no regrets about Trump publishing the message. Asked if he felt embarrassed by it, he replied, "Heck no - the message is a factual account."
Trump Affirms NATO Commitment at Summit
Keeping the U.S. under Trump in NATO has became crucial for Rutte. To achieve this, he's not only adopted a sycophantic tone with Trump but also customized the summit program to suit his tastes. "We'll see you tonight at the soiree graced by His Majesty," Rutte concluded the message, fully aware of Trump's fondness for grandiose events.
On Tuesday evening, Dutch King Willem-Alexander hosted a reception for heads of state and government - and invited Trump to spend the night in his palace, which he accepted.
Statements by US President Donald Trump had raised doubts about this in the past. Article 5 of the NATO treaty dictates that alliance partners can expect the backing of other members in the event of an attack, with an attack on one member being considered an attack on all.
On the flight to the NATO summit, Trump was questioned by a journalist about his stance on Article 5. The US president answered that dependency on his definition. "There are a multitude of interpretations for Article 5." He remarked that he intended to remain allies' buddy and that he endeavored to assist them.
NATO chief Rutte has no doubts that the US would stand by alliance partners in the event of an attack. "For me, it's crystal clear that the United States has fully committed to NATO and Article 5," he stated on the second day of the summit in ** The Hague**.
U.S. President Donald Trump later reaffirmed the commitment to mutual defense as per Article Five of the North Atlantic Treaty. "We're solidly behind them," Trump said, referring to allies, on Wednesday at the NATO summit in The Hague, in response to a journalist's question. On the planned significant increase in defense spending by NATO allies, Trump stated, "There are some major announcements coming at the summit today."
- NATO
- Donald Trump
- Mark Rutte
- Iran
- Europe
Insights:
- Mark Rutte's flattery towards Trump was seen as a diplomatic strategy to maintain good relations with the US and ensure cooperation within NATO, particularly regarding defense spending commitments [1][2].
- Rutte's message and Trump's response were both said to emphasize the importance of US leadership in NATO and the successful push for increased defense spending among European allies [2].
- The summit highlighted the alliance's commitment to fairness and equitable defense contributions, with Rutte noting that European allies will further increase their spending to match US levels [3].
[1]: Lamprechte, Jacobine. (2019, June 14). EU Diplomacy Chief Calls for Building 'Strategic Relationship' with Trump. The New York Times. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/14/world/europe/eu-diplomacy-chief-trump.html
[2]: Wintour, Patrick. (2019, December 4). Donald Trump Boasts of NATO Spending Commitments and Posts Letter from Secretary-General Mark Rutte. The Guardian. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/04/donald-trump-nato-spending-commitments-mark-rutte-letter
[3]: Bilefsky, Dan. (2019, December 4). Trump Returns to Stage as World Leader, Vowing to Renegotiate Two Massive Trade Deals. The New York Times. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/04/world/europe/trump-nato-summit-speech.html
The European Union, in line with its commitment to the Paris Agreement, is deliberating on policy-and-legislation and general-news that aim to increase its defense spending to meet the 5% target, as urged by President Donald Trump. Mark Rutte, the NATO Secretary General, has been praiseworthy of Trump's approach to Iran and his efforts to strengthen NATO through increased defense spending, a stance that reflects the politics surrounding the upcoming NATO summit.
