Even before the summit began, US President Donald Trump published a private message from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on his social network Truth Social, which caused embarrassment in Europe.
On the outside, Rutte seems quite servile, as if trying to please him. He thanks and congratulates him on the"strong action in Iran, which was" truly exceptional "and "no one else would have dared to do it". At the same time, he told him of encouraging news from the European members of the alliance.
"Tonight you are flying to another great success in The Hague. It wasn't easy, but we got everyone to sign (the increase to) 5 percent! Donald, you have brought us to a really, really important moment for America, Europe and the world. You will achieve something that NO American president has managed to do in decades. Europe will pay BIG, as it should, and it will be your win," Rutte wrote to Trump.
Capital letters, lofty words, praise... According to the German weekly Spiegel, Rutte's message can be viewed in two ways. The first is that he knows what the smug boss of the White House is paying for, what he wants to hear and how he thinks.
This has already been demonstrated during visits to European politicians with whom Trump gets along - whether it's French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, or German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
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"Trump is dividing the world into winners and losers. What Rutte is doing may seem reasonable at first glance. He is playing Trump's whisperer. At second glance, however, it seems embarrassing. In an effort to appease Trump, he is belittling himself and other Europeans," Spiegel summarized. Other world media outlets have similarly criticized Rutte's report. The British newspaper Guardian, for example, called it"flattering."
The NATO chief told reporters today that he had no problem with the White House chief releasing it because "there is nothing in it that should remain secret." He also defended its content, arguing that without Trump, it would not have been possible to get alliance member states to agree to increase defense spending.
He defended himself against a reporter's question about whether flattery was the right way to deal with Trump and whether it wasn't humiliating."No, I don't think so. I think it's a bit of a matter of taste," he replied, adding that the US president deserved praise.
According to the Guardian, Rutte's tone and language in his message are only evidence of how hard he and most Western allies are trying to ensure a smooth summit, while being very aware that Trump's stance on NATO is unpredictable.
Therefore, they are reportedly convinced that everything must be done to keep the United States on their side. All the more so since the American president's statements raise doubts about whether the US would come to the aid of its allies in the event of an attack.
As he flew to The Hague on Tuesday, reporters aboard his Air Force One plane asked him whether the US would abide by Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which states that an attack on one NATO member country is considered an attack on all.
Should such a case arise, each of them shall exercise the right of individual or collective defense and shall assist the attacked Contracting Party by taking without delay, alone and in concert with other countries, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force.
Trump avoided a direct answer."It depends on your definition. There are many definitions of Article 5. You know that, right? But I'm committed to being their friend. You know, I've made friends with a number of their leaders, and I'm committed to helping them," he replied.
When asked to elaborate, he said he was ready to protect lives and security. He was more forthcoming today after a meeting of NATO leaders, and when asked about Article 5, he said:"I stand behind it, that's why I'm here."
