The recent NATO summit may be remembered as the moment U.S. President Donald Trump finally embraced the alliance he once disparaged.
In The Hague, Trump basked in admiration from fellow leaders, including a playful moment where NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte referred to him as “daddy”— and secured commitments to increase defense spending, a longtime demand of his.
But the change went deeper than mere ego-stroking. Trump’s rhetoric suggested a dramatic transformation in his stance on NATO, shifting from years of criticism to near-reverence.
“I came here because it was something I’m supposed to be doing, but I left here a little bit differently,” Trump said at his closing press conference on Wednesday. “I watched the heads of these countries get up, and the love and the passion they showed for their country was unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It was really moving.”
Even after returning to Washington, Trump’s sentiment remained unusually warm. “A wonderful day with incredible and caring Leaders,” he posted on Truth Social Thursday.
A Complete U-Turn
This was a striking shift from Trump’s first term, when he frequently accused NATO members of shirking their financial responsibilities and even hinted at withdrawing the U.S. from the alliance.
At his inaugural NATO summit in 2017, he physically elbowed aside Montenegro’s Prime Minister to reach the front of the photo op. A year later, he berated Germany and privately mused about quitting NATO altogether.
But this time, alliance leaders meticulously staged the summit to win Trump over — reworking defense figures to align with his expectations and packing the schedule with praise and prestige.
The Dutch welcomed Trump with royal hospitality, hosting him at the King’s palace and treating him to an opulent dinner and breakfast — which he described as “beautiful.” The summit was deliberately brief, avoiding potential friction.
According to Frederick Kempe, CEO of the Atlantic Council, Trump “waxed poetic” about NATO like never before. “The same man who railed against European freeloaders and unfair trade now sounded transformed,” Kempe observed.
The ‘Daddy’ Effect
Still, questions linger about what this newfound affection means for NATO’s direction under Trump’s influence.
The summit’s final statement softened its tone on Russia’s war in Ukraine and omitted any reference to Ukraine’s bid to join the alliance. Trump’s closed-door meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — reportedly a result of their past Oval Office clash — denied Ukraine a crucial diplomatic platform.
“The biggest loser was Ukraine,” noted Ed Arnold of the Royal United Services Institute.
Trump also issued subtle threats, warning that Spain could face trade retaliation if it fails to meet new defense spending commitments.
Looking ahead, NATO now faces the challenge of sustaining Trump’s enthusiasm across the remaining summits of his second term.
“The real worry is that NATO will be unable to keep up the hype,” Arnold added.
But for now, the Trump administration is riding the wave. As the president landed back in Washington, the White House shared a summit video montage captioned: “Daddy’s Home.”