NATO chief Rutte defends Trump after query on self respect

At a press conference concluding the NATO summit on Wednesday, Secretary General Mark Rutte faced a pointed question from a Danish journalist about his public deference to U.S. President Donald Trump. The reporter, Rasmus Svaneborg of the Danish news agency Ritzau, asked Rutte whether remaining silent while Trump made controversial statements affected his self-respect.

The journalist specifically cited moments where Trump talked about "conquering Greenland," lashing out at allies like Spain, and starting trade wars, actions the reporter suggested the "old Mark Rutte" would not approve of. "Does this have any effect on your self-respect when you sit next to him like that and say nothing?" Svaneborg asked.

Rutte did not directly address the question about his self-respect. Instead, he defended Trump, crediting the U.S. president for strengthening the alliance. Rutte stated that he believes in acknowledging praise where it is due and argued that NATO is stronger today. He attributed this strength partly to the Russian threat and the war in Ukraine, but also to Trump's pressure on European nations to increase their defense spending.

"Of course it has to do with the Russian threat, it...