NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was asked about his viral nickname for Donald Trump during a White House press conference, explaining it was a Dutch language problem
NATO’s Secretary General has clarified why he referred to Donald Trump as “daddy”. Mark Rutte’s moniker for the US president became a viral sensation following their joint appearance last June.
And he was questioned about it today after a meeting with Trump at the White House on Wednesday. Rutte insisted it was a “language problem”.
He informed reporters: “In Dutch, you would say – the translation of your father is daddy – and I said, ‘sometimes daddy has to be angry. So I was not calling him my daddy. But of course, daddy has all sorts of special connotations, and now I have to live with it for the rest of my life.” Rutte also acknowledged it “follows me a little”, noting that both he and Trump “own it”.
Rutte also refused to reveal whether Trump had reiterated his threat to abandon NATO, stating only that the US leader was frustrated with some allies for being too sluggish to assist with the Iran war, reports the Mirror.
Rutte’s comments emerged a day after he endured a fresh trial with Trump, following months of tensions over threats to seize Greenland.
The Iran war does not involve the world’s largest military alliance and NATO allies were not consulted about it, but Trump has lambasted fellow treaty members for their lack of support.
Since launching the war, Trump has branded US allies as “cowards”, denounced NATO as “a paper tiger” and likened Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Neville Chamberlain, who is probably best remembered for a policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany.
In recent days, Trump has hinted that the US might exit NATO. He had already threatened to leave in 2018 during his first term. His grievance now is that some allies disregarded his plea for assistance as Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade waterway.
Following the discussions with Rutte, the alliance’s most influential leader expressed his irritation on social media. “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,” Trump posted.
When asked repeatedly since then whether Trump plans to withdraw America from NATO, Rutte has said little, but he has not denied that such a threat was made.
“I sensed his disappointment about the fact that he felt that too many allies were not with him,” was all Rutte would say today.