During his two-day stay in Turkey, Trump threatened to sever trade ties with NATO member Spain over defense spending and reignited tensions with another member, Denmark, over Greenland. But NATO Secretary General Rutte saw only virtues in Trump; he praised him as a "great leader" and NATO's "greatest asset." Rutte lauded "Dear Donald" for securing an additional $1.2 trillion in defense spending from Canada and European countries during his two terms, calling it the "Trump trillion." When Trump harshly criticized previous US presidents for failing to persuade other NATO members to increase their defense spending commitments, Rutte interjected, "You were the first to do it. That's your victory." Trump responded, "That's why I like him." Rutte has been a vocal supporter of Trump since becoming NATO Secretary General in late 2024. Marion Mesmer, director of the International Security Program at the Chatham House, said her conclusion from the NATO summit was that no one can manage Trump in the long run, and Europe is better off focusing on strengthening its own security. "While Rutte successfully maintained Trump's goodwill with his obsequious and submissive demeanor, other NATO leaders grew increasingly averse to what was seen as low class." This was partly because Rutte failed to translate his personal relationship with Trump into tangible benefits for NATO, as Trump clearly remained dissatisfied with the military alliance.
