Rutte’s Message to Trump: Without Him, NATO Defense Spending Increase Wouldn’t Happen

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte defended the message he sent to Donald Trump congratulating him for his intervention in the conflict between Iran and Israel. He also addressed the pressure Trump has placed on European nations to increase defense spending. When asked by journalists about the publication of the SMS content, Rutte highlighted countries that had previously spent less than 2% of their GDP on defense: ‘I have no problem with it because there is nothing that should have remained secret. Look at what is inside the messages I sent him. Regarding the 2%, its fulfillment would never have happened this year without him (Trump). Let’s be honest, at the beginning of the year, seven countries said ‘maybe around 2031, 2032,’ all these seven-eight countries are now at 2%.’ Rutte also mentioned the goal of increasing defense budgets of NATO member states to 5%. ‘Regarding the 5%, we need to do this due to our defense capability goals; we must protect ourselves from Russia. The good news is that it balances our expenditures here in Europe and Canada with what the U.S. pays.’ Rutte was particularly effusive in his message to Trump, praising the American President for the attack on Iranian nuclear facilities and pressuring NATO allies to increase defense spending. ‘Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, it was something extraordinary that nobody else dared to do,’ Rutte wrote to Trump, as seen in a screenshot posted by the American President on social media.