'Hey Daddy.' White House seizes on Mark Rutte’s NATO comment with Trump, posts Usher song on social
At NATO Summit, Mark Rutte said with Trump, 'Daddy has to sometimes use strong language.' White House then posted a 'Daddy's Home' video with a song by Usher.
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made a comment about "daddy." The White House used that idea in a social video.
- Rutte later clarified he wasn't referring to Trump specifically when he said "daddy," but to US leadership in general.
- NATO leaders endorsed increased defense spending, a key demand of Trump's.
- Usher's song "Hey Daddy" is often used in social media videos that depict flirtatious or sexualized videos of men.
The White House has jumped on comments from a NATO leader that appeared to call President Donald Trump "daddy."
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte later said he wasn't talking about Trump specifically when he said "daddy has to sometimes use strong language."
But that didn't stop the White House from making a sizzle reel of Trump's visit to The Hague for the NATO Summit set to the song "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" by Usher. The song is frequently used in TikTok videos, often as the background of flirtatious or sexualized videos of men.
Trump was in the Netherlands for the Summit on June 24 and 25. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles also traveled with Trump. The alliance of 32 countries agreed to increase their defense spending, which Trump has called a win.
Who called Trump 'daddy?'
NATO Secretary Mark Rutte used the word "daddy," but he denied that he used it to describe Trump.
"Daddy has to sometimes use strong language," Rutte said. On his way to the summit, Trump cursed when talking about the Iran-Israel ceasefire, which appeared to be on shaky ground at the time.
Rutte said at a later press conference he was using "daddy" to refer to U.S. leadership in general, explaining that he views how some European countries talk about the U.S as a child-parent relationship.
Mark Rutte's message to Trump: 'It will be your win'
NATO leaders were generally complimentary of Trump in hopes that Trump would agree to their mutual defense principle.
The praise started before the summit, with a text from Rutte to Trump that the president later posted on social media.
"Donald, you have driven us to a really, really, important moment for America and Europe, and the world," Rutte's message read. "Safe travels and see you at His Majesty's dinner!"
NATO Summit recap: Alliance gives Trump higher spending
NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a security alliance of 32 countries from North America and Europe. The NATO Summit happens at key moments for the alliance rather than on regular periods. The last summit was held in Washington, D.C., in July 2024.
NATO leaders on June 25 endorsed higher defense spending that Trump has demanded.
"We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defense as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty – that an attack on one is an attack on all," the brief communique stated, according to Reuters.
Contributing: John Bacon, Francesca Chambers, Jorge L. Ortiz, Nicole Fallert, Paste BN
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the Paste BN Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.