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President Donald Trump presented overwhelming support for NATO this week, showing a sharp turn in his longstanding, often controversial relationship with the alliance.
He was once known for blowing up allies and even threatening to withdraw from NATO completely, rather than defence spending, but Trump now appears to have had a change of heart.
“I left this place differently. I left here saying these people really love their country,” Trump said after the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague.
The pivot comes as NATO countries have more than doubled their collective defense spending targets, rising from 2% to 5% of GDP.
World leaders gather to meet Trump at the NATO summit
NATO leaders will take photos at the 2025 Summit. (Reuters/Claudia Greco)
From hostile rhetoric to royal receptions
The alliance’s president’s new embrace follows years of friction, prominent clashes with world leaders and controversial comments. However, at this year’s summit, the tone was surprisingly different.
Trump was welcomed by the Dutch royal family, praised by the NATO Secretary General (who called him “daddy”) and returned to a home that praised his European allies for their patriotism. “It’s not a rift, we’re here to help them,” Trump told reporters.
The conversion is as dramatic as it is unexpected.
Iranian Factors: Military Action with Global Impact
Trump arrived at the NATO summit and we attacked following his crippling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. According to an intelligence source in the US and Allied, the operation has retreated Tehran’s nuclear ambitions for several years.
The strike was widely viewed as both a show of strength and a strategic warning not only for Iran but also for NATO enemies such as Russia and China.
World leaders gather to meet Trump at the NATO summit
“He really came from this move of force,” said Giedrimas Jeglinskas, a former NATO employee and current chairman of Lithuania’s National Security Commission.
“Undoubtedly, the reconstruction of the deterrence tales not only in the US, but also in the West, amidst Eastern Europe, this attack, and the use of their very sophisticated weapons and bombers.”
Trump was welcomed by the Dutch royal family, praised by the NATO Secretary General (who called him “daddy”) and returned to a home that praised his European allies for their patriotism. “It’s not a rift, we’re here to help them,” Trump told reporters. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Timeline: Trump’s rocky road with NATO
2016 Campaign Trail
Trump repeatedly called NATO “outdated,” questioning its connection and denounced its allies for failing to pay a “fair share.”
“It’s costing us too much… We’re paying disproportionately. That’s too much,” he said in March 2016.
He criticized NATO for not focusing on terrorism and gained credibility when he later created the Chief Intelligence Post.
February 2017 – Early President
Trump softened his tone after becoming president.
“We have strong support for NATO,” he said after a visit to Central Command. “We only ask that all members make full and appropriate financial contributions.”
He kept pushing members to reach their 2% target by 2024.
2018 Brussels Summit
Trump personally threatened to separate the US from NATO unless his allies increase their spending.
“Now we are protecting countries that have not paid their bills during World War II,” he warned.
Despite his attitude, he called NATO a “fine-tuned machine” after extracting new spending commitments. He also accused Germany of being “Russian prisoners” over the Nordstream 2 pipeline.
Trump heads to the NATO summit to agree that Europe will be wary of his defensive spending demands
President Donald Trump, portrayed as British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer, presented overwhelming support for NATO this week, showing a sharp turn in his longstanding, often controversial relationship with the alliance. (AP photo Kin Cheung, poop)
2019 London Summit
The drama continues, this time French President Emmanuel Macron called NATO “Brain-Dead.”
“NATO serves a big purpose. I think it’s a huge shame,” Trump replied.
He also clashed with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau called him “two sides” after laughing at Trump on camera.
2020 – Retreating troops from Germany
Trump ordered 12,000 US troops from Germany, citing Berlin’s lack of defense.
February 2024 – Russia’s Controversy
Trump sparked backlash after suggesting that he had forced Russia to “do anything” against NATO countries that had not fulfilled their spending obligations.
The statement sparked urgent and contingent talks among European leaders about the future of the alliance if the United States fails to comply with its defense.
June 2025: Another Trump, another NATO
The 2025 Summit in The Hague unfolded with incredible calm. The Trump host unveiled the red carpet. “He’s the man of time and the most important man in the world,” Jegliskas said.
He added that Jeglinskas believes that by promoting Trump’s dull diplomacy, but unorthodox, true reforms, “he has brought about a structural change in the alliance’s capabilities by being… himself.” “It’s a gift to the alliance.”
Trump will be greeted by King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Maxima of Palayis Hughsten Bosch at the NATO Summit. (Brendan Smialowski – Pool/Getty Images)
Two troops behind the revival of NATO: Russia and Trump
Experts agree that the recent activation of NATO comes from two major catalysts. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and Trump’s relentless pressure on allies to strengthen their defense.
“President Trump is running high this week with two major foreign policy victories,” says Matthew Chloenich, vice president of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center, referring to references on NATO and the recent US nuclear program. “That’s great. I hope he can keep it.”
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He added, “Eisenhower complained that his NATO allies weren’t making a fair distribution of them, and they’ve been the president since Eisenhower complained.
Now, Trump was the one who ultimately let them listen, he said.
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