President Trump at the NATO Summit: did not merely attend the NATO summit — he reshaped its trajectory (full report) – Tania Curado-Koenig
Tania Curado-Koenig - http://williamkoenig.com
June 25, 2025
1. A Historic Defense Spending Agreement
At his press conference during the NATO summit in the Netherlands, President Donald J. Trump declared a major breakthrough: NATO allies have agreed to raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP.
“Nobody thought it was possible, but I got it done,” he said.
He emphasized that this new standard is vital to preventing future disasters like the current war in Ukraine:
“We need this to avoid future catastrophes. We’ve achieved remarkable things.”
This announcement marks one of the most significant military spending commitments in NATO’s history — a direct result of Trump’s leadership and insistence on fair burden-sharing.
2. A Royal Welcome and Praise for the Netherlands
President Trump expressed deep appreciation for the Dutch reception, describing it as a “royal treatment”:
“The King and Queen are wonderful people with good hearts,” he said.
He also praised Dutch leaders:
“Mark Rutte is a good friend and doing a great job.”
“Prime Minister Schoof deserves thanks for organizing this summit.”
He added with humor:
“The Netherlands is a beautiful country. I saw many lovely trees along the road — I’d like to take a few home.”
3. Strategic Meeting with President Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that he held talks with President Trump at the summit. Their discussion focused on:
• Ukraine’s purchase of U.S. air defense systems.
• A potential agreement to jointly manufacture drones.
Zelensky emphasized:
“Ukraine is ready to buy this equipment and support U.S. defense manufacturers.”
“Europe can help too.”
He also briefed President Trump on the current state of the war:
“Putin is clearly not winning. I presented the President with facts about what’s really happening on the ground.”
4. Shift in Tone Toward Russia
Although once known for his pragmatic approach toward President Vladimir Putin, President Trump showed a marked change at this summit — one of greater alignment with Ukraine and stronger confrontation with Russian aggression.
When asked by Dutch journalist Eelco Bosch van Rosenthal whether his views had changed, Trump replied:
“The posture of the heads of state here has affected me. I’m leaving The Hague a different man than I was when I arrived.”
5. Meeting with Dutch Opposition Leader Geert Wilders
President Trump confirmed a meeting with PVV party leader Geert Wilders that took place earlier in the day.
“I didn’t know him, but he seemed like a nice guy,” Trump commented.
When asked about Wilders’ strong anti-migration stance, the President responded:
“Those are his views. That’s how he sees things.”
Trump clarified that the meeting was arranged by the summit organizers:
“He’s the opposition leader — I was asked to meet him. Apparently, that’s the custom here.”
6. Direct Confrontation with Spain
A tense moment occurred when a Spanish journalist attempted to ask a question. Upon learning her nationality, President Trump interrupted and issued a sharp rebuke of Spain’s refusal to adopt the new defense spending standard.
“It’s terrible what they’ve done,” he said, visibly frustrated.
“But Spain is going to pay one way or another.”
President Trump warned of possible trade sanctions if Spain fails to meet the 5% requirement.
“They will not ignore this responsibility without consequences.”
Strategic Takeaways
President Donald J. Trump, as the current President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief, did not merely attend the NATO summit — he reshaped its trajectory.
• He set a new global military standard with the 5% defense threshold.
• He demonstrated strength and clarity in confronting both adversaries and allies.
• He advanced discussions on military-industrial cooperation, including air defense and drone production.
• He affirmed solidarity with Ukraine while challenging European complacency.
• And he reminded the world that American leadership is not passive — it is proactive, dominant, and unapologetically strategic