NATO Secretary-Basic Mark Rutte known as President Donald Trump “Daddy” on Wednesday, reacting to the president’s recent use of expletives when he accused Iran and Israel of violating a ceasefire settlement.
Early Wednesday morning throughout a bilateral assembly between Trump and Rutte throughout the NATO Summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Trump likened the nations of Israel and Iran to “two youngsters in a schoolyard” that had a “large struggle.”
“You understand, they struggle like hell. You’ll be able to’t cease them. Allow them to struggle for about two-three minutes, then it is simple to cease them,” he continued.
Rutte raised eyebrows when he interjected, “Daddy has to typically use robust language to get them to cease.”
“You need to use robust language,” Trump agreed. “Now and again it’s important to use a sure phrase.”
President Donald Trump and NATO Basic Secretary Mark Rutte attend a North Atlantic Council plenary assembly throughout the the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, June 25, 2025.
Kin Cheung/Pool through Reuters
At some point earlier, Trump grew to become visibly pissed off concerning the Israel-Iran battle, blurting an expletive earlier than departing the White Home en path to the summit.
Trump was receptive to Rutte’s nickname, saying throughout a press convention later Wednesday that the secretary-general meant it in an affectionate method.
Requested if Trump views his NATO allies as his “kids,” the president responded, “No, [Rutte] likes me. I feel he likes me. If he does not, I will let you recognize. I will come again and I will hit him onerous, OK? He did it very affectionately, ‘Daddy, you are my Daddy.'”
Rutte later defended his use of the phrase and continued to pile reward on Trump, describing him as a “good good friend.” He additionally mentioned his language is a matter of style.
On Trump’s resolution to strike Iran and the ceasefire, Rutte mentioned “I feel he deserves all of the reward.”
President Donald Trump speaks throughout a media convention on the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, June 25, 2025.
Matthias Schrader/AP
Rutte later told Reuters that he didn’t name Trump “daddy,” however relatively was utilizing the time period extra metaphorically to explain the connection between the U.S. and different nations.
“The ‘daddy’ factor — I did not name him ‘daddy.’ … In Europe, I hear typically nations saying, ‘Hey, Mark, will the U.S. stick with us?’ And I mentioned that sounds a bit bit like a small youngster asking his daddy, ‘Hey, are you continue to staying with the household?'” Rutte advised Reuters. “So in that sense, I used ‘daddy’, not that I used to be calling President Trump ‘daddy.'”
But the White Home continues to embrace the “daddy” title, posting on X a video compilation of Trump’s NATO journey set to the tune of Usher’s “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s House)” with the accompanying textual content: “Daddy’s house… Hey, hey, hey, Daddy.”
