Flattering Trump: Rutte's Strategy at The Hague NATO Summit
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Rutte, the NATO leader, is reportedly willing to go to great lengths to please President Trump. - To maintain Trump's temperament, NATO head Rutte avoids excessive embarrassment
Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General, pulled out all the stops to ensure Trump remained a part of NATO and boosted defense spending by NATO nations. To do this, he crafted a mesmerizing message to the brash U.S. president, brimming with praise and flourish.
"I hail you, dear Trump, for the innate audacity of your actions in Iran, which none would dare touch," Rutte gushed in a message destined for Trump's Truth Social account. Rutte's office confirmed the letter's contents.
In true Trump fashion, Rutte adopted a bombastic tone, peppering capital letters throughout the text. "Europe will splurge on a grand scale, just as it should, and that will be your victory," the message read.
Rutte's affirmative nod to Trump came ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, where the NATO allies' defense spending goal would be decided on Wednesday. The goal is slated to see the allies spend at least 3.5% of their GDP on defense and an additional 1.5% on defense-related infrastructure by 2035. This figure coincides with Trump's previous demand of 5%.
"I've coaxed them all to commit to 5% – something no American president has achieved in ages," Rutte wrote to Trump. The Dutch leader saw no issue with Trump's decision to publish the message. When asked if he wasn't embarrassed by it, he said, "Not in the least – the message is an accurate representation."
Trump Reiterates NATO Promise at Summit
With keeping the U.S. in NATO as a top priority, Rutte donned the rose-tinted glasses and did an about-face when it came to Trump. He even molded the summit activities around Trump's whims.
On Tuesday evening, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands held a reception for the heads of state and government. As Trump accepted the invitation to spend the night at the palace, Rutte knew he'd struck a cord with the American leader who loves pomp and circumstance.
Currency debates involving Article 5 of the NATO treaty, guaranteeing the defense of its members, left critics wondering about Trump's commitment. But on the flight to the NATO summit, Trump assured a journalist, "Definitely, I'm standing by Article 5, but there are various interpretations of what Article 5 means." He emphasized his intent to support the NATO allies.
NATO Secretary General Rutte believed the U.S. would unwaveringly defend alliance partners in the event of an attack, stating, "In my opinion, the United States has undoubtedly pledged loyalty to NATO and Article 5."
In The Hague, Trump further verified his stance on Article 5, stating, "We're fully in this, we're with our allies – big things are being declared today."
- NATO
- Donald Trump
- Mark Rutte
- Iran
- Europe
- The policy-and-legislation orchestrated by Mark Rutte, the NATO Secretary General, in an attempt to boost defense spending by NATO nations, includes a commitment by Europe to increase spending on a grand scale, as stated in his flattering message to Donald Trump.
- The general-news on the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague reveals that Trump's politics with NATO allies, including his affirmative nod to Trump's 5% defense spending demand, continues to intertwine with the European Union's commitment to the Paris Agreement, as the EU is committed to the implementation of the agreement, despite political disagreements.
