EU Trump and Rutte Speak at NATO Summit in The Hague

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President Donald Trump expressed support for NATO, praising its moves to bolster defense spending as the pact's leaders look to secure a US commitment to the alliance. He speaks at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

 

 

Transcript of Mark Rutte only before joint session with Trump:

 

NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - Good morning. I am very excited about today. I believe this will be a transformational summit, obviously very much concentrating on spending, making sure that NATO collectively has the money and the capabilities to indeed - given our long-term threat of Russia, but also the massive build-up of the military in China, and the fact that North Korea, China, Iran, are supporting the war effort in Ukraine - it's really important that we spend more so that will be number one on the agenda today. A new plan when it comes to spending over the coming years.

Of course, defence industrial production. We know that we are lacking a defence industrial base which is producing sufficiently. So we have fantastic companies, but we have to put in the extra production lines, they have to put in the extra shifts in making sure that we produce the ammunition and all the other, all the items we need.

And Ukraine will be big at the Summit today. Will be discussed making sure that Ukraine, over the coming years, will continue to count on the support of NATO countries to keep them in the fight, but also make sure that we can bring Ukraine to a durable and lasting peace. So a transformational Summit, looking forward to it, and of course, hope to see you later today.

I can now take a few questions, and then at the end, we will see each other at a press conference, and I see that CNBC wants to start – sir.

 

CNBC – Thank you very much, CNBC as you note sir. Look, there’s a lot of questions about Spain, there's a lot of questions about nations that do not feel they have the money in their budget to get to two percent let alone three and a half percent, let alone 5 percent in total as well. Do you fear that Spain could scupper this meeting? And actually, sir, despite all your huge diplomatic efforts, incur the ire, the wrath of the United States?

 

NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - No, I don't. I'm not worried about that. Of course, these are difficult decisions, let's be honest, I mean, politicians have to make choices in scarcity. And this is not easy, because seven, eight countries at the start of this year, not at 2% they will now reach the 2% this year. Many of those countries said, we will do it somewhere in the 2030s, they have now committed to do it this year. And already we added in an aggregate of a trillion since 2016, since Trump 45 started his first presidency. But today, this is the third stage. We will add trillions extra with this new plan. But of course, you're right, the countries have to find the money, it's not easy. These are political decisions; I totally recognise that. But at the same time, there is absolute conviction with my colleagues at the table that given the threat from the Russians, given the international security situation, there is no alternative. We've got to do this - really.

 

Reporter – Mr Rutte, why won’t Mr Trump back Article Five?

 

NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - For me, there is absolute clarity that United States is totally committed to NATO, totally committed to Article Five. And yes, there is also an expectation which will be fulfilled today, that the Canadians and the Europeans will speed up their spending making sure that we, not only are able to defend ourselves against the Russians and others, but also to equalise - and this is fair - that we spend the same as the US is spending. Sir, yes.

 

[Question inaudible]

 

NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - The big thing about Article Five, and the good thing about Article Five, is that it is clear that we defend each other when we are attacked, but you will always get all these questions you ask, but if this cyber-attack or this hybrid attack? We never go into those details.

 

Reporter – Secretary General, you had dinner with Donald Trump yesterday, in what mood was him? Was he? And do you think…

 

NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte – Excellent mood. And the King and Queen were hosting a fantastic dinner in this, and I was so proud to sit in that Orange Hall [Oranjezaal], which is basically example - I'm a historian – so this is about the history of the Dutch Republic. 1648, the Munster Peace Deal and the King made a fantastic speech, you have seen it, I hope? I was also able to say a few words so I think it was a great dinner.

[Questions and answers in Dutch]

 

NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - Listen, it's totally true. Would you really think that the seven or eight countries not at 2% at the beginning of this year would have reached the 2% if Trump would not have been elected President of the United States? Do we really think that, of course, there is a threat from the Russians, China, et cetera, et cetera, but that it would be doable to reach this commitment of 5% today? And I'm hopeful, and cautiously optimistic we will get there. If Trump would not have been elected president - so I think what I said in the text message to him - totally fine that he published it, please, but totally fine that he published it, I think it's a statement of fact.

Reporter - Are you okay with him sharing this message? Are you ok with him sharing those SMS? Isn't that a little embarrassing?

 

NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - Absolutely not, absolutely not. What is in that text message is a statement of fact, and I'm totally fine that he shared.

 

Reporter – The attacks on Iran appeared to be less positive, less successful than before. Do you reconsider your congratulations?

 

NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - No, not at all. And the 14 huge bombs dropped on the nuclear facility of Iran, I think this was crucial to really do everything possible to take out the nuclear capability of the Iranians, which NATO has always said Iran should not get its hands on. And therefore, this decisive action by the United States was so important.

 

Reporter - Yesterday, you told Allies to stop worrying about the United States but how can the Allies stop worrying when Trump keeps relativising Article Five again and again?

 

NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - I would think, look what the United States is doing, what Donald Trump is doing. They are spending almost a trillion on defence. They are by far the biggest contributor to NATO. They are delivering all the key enablers for NATO, also here in Europe. I mean, they are a important Ally. They are by far the biggest Ally in NATO. They are over 50% of the total NATO economy. But what we now will do over the coming years is to bring down, step by step, shift the burden away from the United States, more towards the Europeans and the Canadians, which I think is fair, and in the meantime, we will also equalise the spending.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from NATO | Bloomberg  2025-06-26

 

 

[spidermike007]

One can only imagine what Rutte said behind the scenes to his team. Damn, that guy is a real circus clown, I thought he might be more intelligent than he actually was, I am astonished the American people would have elected him and I'm very very afraid of the future with him in a position of leadership. And did you pick up on that smell, was it sulfur or what was that? 

[newbee2022]

13 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

One can only imagine what Rutte said behind the scenes to his team. Damn, that guy is a real circus clown, I thought he might be more intelligent than he actually was, I am astonished the American people would have elected him and I'm very very afraid of the future with him in a position of leadership. And did you pick up on that smell, was it sulfur or what was that? 

Thank for this comment! Wonderful ❤️