Trump Shares Praise from NATO Chief Before Summit

WASHINGTON – Ahead of his visit to the NATO summit in The Hague, President Trump shared a glowing message from NATO Executive Director Mark Latte on Tuesday.

Latte, a former Dutch prime minister often referred to as “Trump’s whisperer,” expressed his gratitude for Trump’s “decisive action” regarding Iran. “Congratulations! It was truly extraordinary, and no one else had the courage to take such a step. It makes us all safer,” he wrote in a post that Trump shared. Latte emphasized that Trump, at 79 years old, would have another major accomplishment at the summit.

“It wasn’t easy, but we all signed the 5%! Donald, you pushed us into moments that are really important for America, Europe, and the world,” Latte said. “What you’re achieving will resonate for decades.”

On Monday, Latte revealed that NATO members are likely to approve plans to increase the bloc’s defense spending from 2% of GDP to 5% by 2035. This has been a long-standing goal of Trump, who has consistently urged European countries to contribute more to their own defense.

The Spanish government has dismissed this target as “irrational,” while Slovakia has indicated it will determine its own approach to meeting the deadline.

“Europe is planning to invest significantly as it should, and that will be a victory for you,” Latte concluded in his message, wishing Trump a safe trip and anticipating their dinner meeting.

White House officials confirmed that the message shared by Trump was genuine and sent through official channels.

In response to the praise, Latte downplayed the significance of his comments, saying, “While I’m excited for Trump’s visit, the president took a more ambiguous stance regarding the alliance.” When questioned about the U.S. commitment to defend NATO members as outlined in Article 5, Trump responded, “It depends on your definition. There are many interpretations of Article 5, but I’m dedicated to being their friend.” He mentioned that he plans to foster relationships with various leaders.

Trump also touched on Spain’s financial challenges, pointing out that the Madrid government is struggling with new spending goals. “It’s unfair to the others,” he remarked, referring to the differing positions among NATO countries.

Despite this, the UK, France, Germany, and Latte’s home country of the Netherlands are on board with the 5% defense spending target.