Trump Releases NATO Chief Praise, Dodges Article 5

During the NATO summit in The Hague, President Donald Trump released private messages from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in which Rutte praised Trump's 'decisive action in Iran' and his initiative to push allies toward committing 5% of GDP to defense spending. Rutte described Trump’s leadership as unprecedented, and major European allies, including Britain, France, and Germany, reportedly backed the new spending goal, while Spain rejected it. Rutte insisted that NATO rules do not allow exemptions to the spending target. Despite these developments, Trump repeatedly avoided an explicit commitment to NATO's Article 5 mutual defense clause, stating his support 'depends on your definition' and promising only friendship. Rutte downplayed concerns about the U.S. commitment, expressing confidence in ongoing American support for NATO. The summit has focused on demonstrating alliance unity to Russia, but Trump’s ambiguous stance has sparked renewed uncertainty among NATO members.