Just what is NATO Sec General Mark Rutte up to?

[CatWoman]

NATO chief praises Trump for making Europe ‘pay in a BIG way’ on defense ahead of historic summit

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised President Donald Trump for making Europe “pay in a BIG way,” as allied leaders gathered in the Netherlands on Tuesday for a historic summit that could unite them around a new defense spending pledge or widen divisions among the 32 member countries.

The U.S. president, while flying aboard Air Force One en route to The Hague, published a screenshot of a private message from Rutte saying: “Donald, you have driven us to a really, really important moment for America and Europe and the world. You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done.”

“Europe is going to pay in a BIG way, as they should, and it will be your win,” Rutte wrote. NATO confirmed that he sent the message.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/nato-chief-praises-trump-for-making-europe-pay-in-a-big-way-on-defense-ahead-of-historic-summit

[Shellback Squid]

1. I hope that NATO sees Rutte for what he is

[Ocelot II]

4. I think Rutte sees Trump for what he is,

and is keeping the flattery coming thick and fast to keep him from withdrawing the US from NATO.

[BOSSHOG]

5. Netanyahu kissed trumps ass

And got the big bomb drop, effective or not.

[Ocelot II]

2. He's doing what diplomats everywhere are having to do - flattering Trump

in fulsome terms in order to keep him from doing any more damage.

[CatWoman]

6. notice how Rutte seems to be mocking Trump

by using his verbal style with key phrases and all caps? :

[BoRaGard]

7. Krasnov (R-Felon) hates being called "Donald"

So that burns...

[Justice matters.]

3. Any way of checking his bank accounts?

Switzerland? Or crypto?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. Two things happening here, neither is good news for tRump

1) Rutte's flattery is par for the course these days but, like the other flatterers, is insincere. tRump hears the flattery and stops thinking and starts basking in the glow. Everyone else knows it is an act, like Starmer's and even Bibi's acts

2) tRump will think the increase in defense spending is a straight up win and stop thinking. It actually is the first step of NATO divorcing itself from tRump, which means divorcing from the US. What it means is the US going it alone, with greatly reduced influence. Europe will buy even less of US defense industry, as Canada is going to do (considering dropping F-35 for example).

[CatWoman]

10. and the big idiot posted the message on social media

[S/V Loner]

9. What he is actually saying is that...

he is thanking him for waking Europe up and realizing they cannot trust the U.S. to protect them. In a roundabout way.

[Cheezoholic]

14. Exactly, maybe Europe is waking up to a potentially new Third Reich threat on the horizon n/t

[karin_sj]

15. That's the first thing I thought...

The orange idiot has gotten Europe, Canada, etc., to realize that they have to band together to protect their countries and their interests because they absolutely can't count on the U.S. for anything anymore except chaos and turmoil.

[BeyondGeography]

11. Playing for time

It’s smart.

[Skittles]

12. sickening how everyone knows Trump eats up bullshit praise

like a fucking toddler

[bucolic_frolic]

13. Sounds like NATO is enjoying the autonomy and power

[sheshe2]

16. The way I read it...

He Is saying TSF has UNITED all of Europe against the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and he alone did that.

They will all be watching each others backs and that of their allies not yet part of NATO, ie Ukraine. He alone did that.