NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte: Dad, don’t lose heart!
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told a Dutch television interview that, following the Republican Party’s defeat in the congressional elections, President Donald Trump should not be discouraged. After the midterm elections, in which Republicans lost ground, Rutte conveyed his support to the U.S. president.
Rutte said that after the voting concluded, he sent Trump a brief message urging him to “hold your head high” and “keep moving forward”: “Don’t lose heart.”
Rutte had previously publicly referred to Trump as “Dad,” explaining that the term was intended to convey respect while underscoring the American leader’s decisive approach to Middle Eastern policy.
Results from the November 3 midterms showed preliminary data indicating Democrats gained majorities in both chambers of Congress, significantly complicating the legislative agenda of the Trump administration. In this context, observers believe Rutte is seeking to maintain a stable relationship with the U.S. president, especially given Trump’s demand that NATO members raise defense spending to 5% of GDP—up from the previous 2% target, a shift that presents greater challenges for the alliance.
For Rutte, any U.S. president pushing for an increase in defense spending from 2% to 5% of GDP would undoubtedly pose significant difficulties, even as the NATO secretary general maintains a diplomatic posture toward Washington. After all, who truly holds the purse strings within NATO?
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881089829440524/
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