3 days Ago
Trump attacked both countries, saying that they had been fighting "so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they're doing." Rutte, at his side, replied jokingly: "And then daddy has to sometimes say a few bad words." The comment drew laughs from US reporters and officials, some of whom were seated in the audience, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Trump Responds with Humor
During a press conference, to the question if he enjoyed good childlike relationships with NATO allies, Trump responded with a grin, "No, he likes me, I get along with him. I think he likes me. If he doesn't, I will tell you. I'll come back and I'll hit him hard, O.K.?" A part of the moment soon went viral on the internet.
The White House played along and posted a video of Trump speaking at the summit on social media, set to the tune Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home) by Usher, with the caption: "Daddy's home."
Rutte Offers Clarification
After the summit, Rutte made it clear that his "daddy" comment wasn't aimed at Trump as an individual. In an interview, he said that the term was used figuratively, meant to convey how some European countries see the US in relation to the role of NATO.
"I know in Europe I'll occasionally hear nations say, 'Hey Mark, are you guys really committed to staying with us?' and I said so now you sound a little bit like a little boy who's gone to his daddy and said 'Are you still staying with the family?' " Rutte explained. "In that way, I definitely used the term 'daddy.' I wasn't referring to President Trump there."
Rutte also said members of NATO know they must assume more responsibility. He added that he is also seeing a number of nations start to advance their defence spending, to bring it up to par with the US, as a way to strengthen the alliance and its shared vision.
