During a press conference, Donald Trump was asked about his reaction to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte referring to him as “Daddy.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio couldn’t hold back his laughter during a press conference on Thursday after a reporter asked President Donald Trump about being referred to as “Daddy” by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
The moment unfolded when a Sky News journalist asked, “Mark Rutte, the NATO chief and your friend, called you ‘Daddy’ earlier. Do you see your NATO allies as your children?” Rubio, standing nearby, grinned as the question was asked.
Trump responded with a smirk, saying, “No, he likes me. I think he likes me. If he doesn’t, I’ll let you know—I’ll come back and hit him hard, okay?” Rubio couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the remark.
The question stemmed from Rutte’s earlier comments this week, when he said, “Sometimes Daddy has to use strong language,” referring to Trump’s hardline diplomacy during efforts to broker a ceasefire between Iran and Israel.
Trump followed up playfully, saying, “He did. He did say that. Very affectionate—‘Daddy, you’re my daddy.’” Rubio laughed again, while the reporter pressed, “But do you view your NATO allies like children?”
During the NATO summit, member countries agreed to significantly increase defense spending—committing 5% of their GDP annually by 2035. Trump was asked whether he believed European nations could defend the continent on their own. He replied that while they might need some help initially, they would eventually be able to handle it.
Calling it a “historic day” for NATO, Trump claimed credit for driving the defense spending pledge, saying it was his leadership that made the move possible.
Following the summit, Rutte clarified his controversial comment, stating that he didn’t intend to personally call Trump “Daddy.” Instead, he explained, “I was referring to the way some European countries rely on the U.S. for leadership—like children looking up to a parent. That’s the context in which I used the word ‘Daddy.’ I wasn’t calling President Trump that directly,” according to a statement reported by Fox News.
The 2025 NATO Summit took place in The Hague on June 24–25.
