Trump Shifts NATO Stance After Royal Welcome in Europe
Royal grandeur and political praise helped win Trump’s support for NATO unity at a crucial summit. Alliance members voted to more than double their defense spending targets to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035. The former president hadn’t been at the alliance table since 2019. His return sparked uncertainty due to his previous mixed signals about U.S. commitment to Article 5 before he arrived in The Hague. NATO leaders secured Trump’s endorsement through well-arranged diplomatic efforts.
The Netherlands’ Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander’s warm welcome created an atmosphere that appealed to the former president’s taste for ceremony. Their royal reception was part of a larger plan. European allies faced a tough choice – they needed to boost defense spending or risk Trump questioning America’s role in defending reluctant partners. The stakes were clear for everyone. NATO had added $1 trillion in defense spending in the last decade, and roughly 84,000 active U.S. service members remained stationed across Europe.
Rutte orchestrates summit to appeal to Trump
Image Source: Euronews.com
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte arranged a smart diplomatic strategy that won President Donald Trump’s support for the alliance. His approach blended royal hospitality with summit planning that appealed to the American president.
Royal reception at The House in the Woods
President Trump made history as the first American president to spend the night at Huis ten Bosch Palace, the royal residence in The Hague. The plan changed at the last minute, moving Trump from the Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin in Noordwijk to the palace. This beautiful baroque palace from 1645 became the perfect setting for the summit’s opening dinner. The stunning 17th century “Orange Hall” came alive with a luxurious three-course meal that 20 chefs prepared and 18 footmen served. King Willem-Alexander spoke about NATO’s success as “a shield, behind which peace and freedom can flourish”.
Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and King Willem-Alexander host Trump
The Dutch royal family showed exceptional warmth to the American president. Queen Máxima turned heads in a lime-green jumpsuit as she welcomed leaders from 32 countries. Trump shared his appreciation on social media after his stay: “The King and Queen are beautiful and spectacular people. Our breakfast meeting was great!”. King Willem-Alexander responded with a light touch when asked about hosting the American president: “What happens in the palace stays in the palace,” though he added they had “a very nice dinner with all the heads of state and government leaders”.
Strategic seating and speech coordination with NATO leaders
Rutte planned every detail of the summit to keep things smooth. He kept the schedule “short and simple” and arranged a single two-and-a-half-hour meeting where leaders would sign a brief communiqué about the 5% defense spending deal. The organizers paid special attention to seating arrangements to avoid awkward moments—making sure Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not sit facing each other. Rutte built more goodwill by sending Trump text messages that praised his leadership, which Trump later shared on social media. This smart approach stood in sharp contrast to Trump’s tense 2018 NATO summit experience in Brussels.
Leaders flatter Trump to secure defense commitments
Image Source: Defense News
NATO alliance leaders launched a coordinated charm offensive at the summit. Their goal was to get President Trump’s backing for defense spending targets.
Rutte’s public praise and private messages
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte used heavy personal flattery with Trump. The president compared Iran and Israel to “two kids in a school yard.” Rutte jumped in saying: “And then daddy has to sometimes use strong language to get them to stop”. Trump later shared Rutte’s private message on social media: “You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done”. Rutte called Trump “a man of strength… and peace”. When questioned about this approach, he defended it by asking: “Doesn’t he deserve some praise?”. Critics called his message “so subservient and obsequious”, but Rutte stood firm on his tactics.
Italy’s Giorgia Meloni placed strategically
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni played a key role in the diplomatic dance. She met with Rutte before the summit to plan final preparations. The organizers placed Meloni near Trump in the seating plan. This careful arrangement aimed to make Trump feel valued and respected. Their approach was different from Trump’s rocky 2018 NATO summit where he had clashed with allies over defense spending.
Trump’s mood shift and social media posts
Trump’s attitude toward NATO changed noticeably during the summit. He started out uncertain about Article 5 commitments. The flattery campaign worked and his tone changed dramatically. He shared Rutte’s complimentary messages on social media and praised his royal hosts throughout the event. At the end, Trump said: “These people really love their countries. It’s not a rip-off, and we are here to help them protect their country”. He called it “a tremendous summit” and claimed the defense spending agreement was “a monumental win” for Washington.
Trump endorses NATO after mixed signals
Image Source: Ottumwa Courier
Donald Trump’s position on NATO’s life-blood collective defense principle went through a remarkable change during The Hague summit and ended up with his strong endorsement of the alliance.
Original doubts about Article 5 commitment
Trump created anxiety among allies on his way to the Netherlands. He refused to clearly commit to NATO’s mutual defense clause. “It depends on your definition. There’s numerous definitions of Article 5. You know that, right?” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. His statement matched his years-long ambivalence about the alliance’s collective defense guarantee. He had shown uncertainty about NATO defending the United States if needed back in March.
Trump’s 8-minute speech and praise for allies
All the same, Trump delivered his strongest backing of the alliance after a carefully arranged summit and generous praise from NATO leaders. His 8-minute speech reflected this change. “These people really love their countries. It’s not a rip-off, and we’re here to help them protect their country,” Trump declared to reporters. He moved away from his earlier criticism and stated: “I stand with it. That’s why I’m here. If I didn’t stand with it, I wouldn’t be here”.
Trump calls Rutte a ‘genius’ and backs mutual defense
Trump gave his full support for Article 5 as the summit wrapped up: “We’re with them all the way”. He announced this endorsement among other news that NATO members would increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. Trump celebrated the agreement as “The Hague Defense Commitment” and called it a “monumental” victory.
Of course, Rutte’s diplomacy was significant in this transformation. Trump shared Rutte’s flattering text message on social media. The NATO chief had written: “You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done”. The summit’s unanimous declaration renewed the allies’ “ironclad commitment” to collective defense. This declaration effectively put to rest any doubts about Trump’s position on Article 5.
Spain and Ukraine face diplomatic setbacks
Image Source: Foreign Policy
Diplomatic success with President Trump at the NATO summit came with its share of tensions. Spain’s resistance to defense spending targets and Ukraine’s push to get more support created major friction points.
Spain criticized for low defense spending
The controversy centered on Spain after it rejected NATO’s proposed 5% of GDP defense spending target. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the target “unreasonable” and “incompatible with our welfare state and our world vision”. Spain’s position as the alliance’s lowest spender in 2024 at just 1.24% of GDP triggered immediate backlash. Trump labeled Spain “notorious” for its “low spending” and described the country as “a very low payer”.
Sánchez responded by announcing Spain would raise spending to 2.1% of GDP by 2025, nowhere near NATO’s expectation. Secretary-General Rutte acknowledged Spain’s stance but countered: “NATO is absolutely convinced Spain will have to spend 3.5% to get there”. This dispute revealed deeper tensions between domestic priorities and alliance obligations. Military spending increases remain unpopular among Sánchez’s coalition partners.
Zelensky’s limited success in securing support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky played a smaller role at this summit compared to previous NATO meetings. He “had to settle for attending the pre-summit dinner” instead of joining the main meeting. Reports suggest European allies concerned about antagonizing Trump “squeezed off” Zelensky from the rest of the program.
Zelensky met Trump separately after the conference ended. Trump admitted Putin had been “more difficult” than expected and acknowledged having “some problems” with Zelensky, but described their meeting as one that “couldn’t have been nicer”. Trump gave a noncommittal response about providing Patriot missile defenses to Ukraine: “I’ll see if we can make some available”.
Trump links defense to trade tariffs
Trump’s direct threat of economic retaliation against Spain marked a crucial turning point. “We’re negotiating with Spain on a trade deal. We’re going to make them pay twice as much,” Trump declared. He warned that Spain’s economy “could be blown right out of the water when something bad happens”.
French President Emmanuel Macron sharply criticized this connection between defense commitments and trade policy. He called it “an aberration” and argued: “We can’t say we are going to spend more and then, at the heart of NATO, launch a trade war”. These exchanges exposed underlying tensions even as carefully arranged royal receptions and diplomatic choreography projected unity at the summit.
The 2025 NATO summit showed how diplomatic finesse can reshape international alliances. Secretary-General Rutte’s careful planning brought results when Trump changed from a NATO skeptic to someone who would promote its cause. Trump became the first American president to stay at Huis ten Bosch Palace, and the royal hospitality played a vital role. This strategic flattery combined with summit management helped Trump endorse NATO’s life-blood Article 5 commitment.
In spite of that, the alliance faces major challenges. Spain’s stance against the 5% defense spending target shows internal disagreements about military duties. On top of that, Ukraine stayed on the sidelines during talks as European leaders worried about upsetting Trump. Trump’s decision to link defense commitments with trade tariffs created tension, and French President Macron called this approach “an aberration.”
The summit achieved its main goal. NATO gained Trump’s support and set ambitious defense spending targets through 2035. The well-planned diplomacy worked, though it required some uncomfortable compromises. Ukraine’s Zelensky was “squeezed off” the main program while Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez faced direct threats over defense spending disputes.
The summit proved how personal connections and diplomatic planning can change international politics. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima’s welcome, Rutte’s flattering messages, and careful seating plans all helped improve Trump’s attitude. Some called these tactics “subservient and obsequious,” but they worked. NATO members left The Hague with renewed American support for collective defense, though questions about trade policy and defense costs remained open.
