NATO chief dubs Trump 'daddy' after US President drops 'F bomb' on live TV for Israel-Iran ceasefire

Mark Rutte's words of praise for Donald Trump reached new heights as the Nato chief called the US president “daddy” in public in a bizarre press conference in the Hague today. NATO leaders are gathering in the Netherlands for the start of a historic two-day summit that could unite the 32-member security organization around a new defense spending pledge or widen divisions.

Trump praised Nato countries for being willing to lift defence spending to 5% in and said that he expected the US to be fully in support. The NATO chief bizarrely called Trump "daddy" s he tried to justify the president’s outburst about the Iran-Israel conflict on Tuesday, reports The Huff Post.

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NATO chief calls Trump 'daddy'

President Trump likened the conflict between Israel and Iran to "two kids in a school yard" having a scrap. "They fight like hell. You can't stop them. Let them fight for about two, three minutes. Then it's easier to stop them," he remarked.

Rutte then quipped: "Then daddy has to sometimes use strong language." “You have to use a strong language, everyone’s saying you have to use a certain word,” the president chuckled at Rutte's reference.

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That was a reference to Trump's expletive-laced outburst as he set off for the NATO summit, visibly angry at the prospect of the Iran-Israel ceasefire breaking down. “They don’t know what the f*** they’re doing!” he told reporters at the time, before successfully convincing Israel to call off their response attack in a call on Air Force One. Trump rarely uses expletives in public and his F-bomb caught many by surprise.


The secretary general also said that Trump’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites, with 14 13,000kg (30,000lb) bunker-busting bombs, was “extremely impressive” and sent a signal to other countries beyond Iran that Trump was “a man of peace” who was willing to use the “enormous strength of the US military”.

Ahead of Wednesday's NATO meeting in The Hague, President Trump sparked uncertainty by telling reporters on his flight from Washington that his commitment to Article 5 would depend "on your definition" when questioned about collective defence.

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Article 5 is a cornerstone of Nato, obligating all members to defend one another if attacked. Trump is pushing NATO allies to commit to a 5% of GDP on defense, a figure far above the alliance’s long-standing 2% target.

From keeping the summit short, to arranging an overnight stay at the king's royal palace, Rutte has lived up to his own nickname -- the "Trump Whisperer."

Pressed by reporters on whether his praise of -- and moniker for -- Trump was demeaning coming from an alliance secretary general, Rutte replied: "No, I don't think so."

"I think it's a bit of a question of taste," Rutte said, calling Trump a "good friend" who "deserves all the praise" -- be it for taking "decisive action" against Iran, or forcing NATO allies to ramp up their defence spending.

(With AFP inputs)