President Donald Trump departed the White House today en route to the Netherlands for a NATO summit, carrying with him effusive praise from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte for his instrumental role in securing significant increases in defense spending from alliance member nations.
Before his departure, President Trump shared a message from Secretary General Rutte, which not only lauded the achieved defense spending commitments but also congratulated the President on recent decisive action in Iran.
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“Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, that was truly extraordinary, and something no one else dared to do. It makes us all safer,” Rutte’s message read, as posted by President Trump. This commendation comes after a fragile ceasefire held between Israel and Iran following an exchange of missiles.
The praise for the Iran action specifically referenced a U.S. strike early Sunday morning local time on facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, reportedly linked to Iran’s nuclear weapons development. The operation involved seven B-2A Spirit bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, deploying as many as 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators after a 37-hour flight.
Secretary General Rutte further added, “You are flying into another big success in The Hague this evening. It was not easy but we’ve got them all signed onto 5 percent!”
This refers to the Trump administration’s persistent push for NATO nations to increase their defense spending, a long-standing point of contention for President Trump who, while on the campaign trail in February 2024, criticized members for not meeting the agreed-upon benchmark of spending at least 2% of their Gross Domestic Product on defense. The 5% figure, if accurately quoted by Rutte, represents a substantial increase beyond the previously targeted 2%.
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Rutte’s message underscored the historical significance of the President’s efforts: “Donald, you have driven us to a really, really important moment for America and Europe, and the world. You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done. Europe is going to pay in a BIG way, as they should, and it will be your win. Safe travels and see you at His Majesty’s dinner!”
Prior to his departure, President Trump also shared a text message from Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, stating, “I believe you will hear from heaven, and that voice is far more important than mine or ANYONE else’s.”
Despite the accolades, President Trump did not shy away from expressing his discontent with both Israel and Iran during a press gaggle on the White House lawn before boarding Air Force One.
“I’m not happy with them. I’m not happy with Iran either,” Trump told reporters. “But I’m really unhappy if Israel is going out this morning because the one rocket that didn’t land, that was shot, perhaps by mistake, that didn’t land, I’m not happy about that.” He concluded, “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard, that they don’t know what the fuck they are doing.”
President Trump’s arrival in the Netherlands is highly anticipated, with the NATO summit expected to further solidify the alliance’s commitment to increased defense spending and address ongoing global security challenges.
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