Europe Told to Be ‘Grateful’ as NATO Chief Defends Trump’s Coercive Grip
NATO Secretary-General praises US pressure on Europe, downplays Greenland crisis, and justifies Trump’s economic and military bullying
Europe | PUREWILAYAH.COM - European countries should be “happy” that Donald Trump is president of the United States, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday, openly defending Washington’s coercive pressure on the continent and crediting Trump with forcing Europe to militarize under US demands.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Rutte dismissed concerns over Trump’s aggressive push to acquire Greenland and rejected criticism that he has acted submissively toward the US president. Instead, he framed US threats and pressure as a necessary correction for Europe.
“I’m not popular with you now because I’m defending Donald Trump, but I really believe you can be happy that he is there,” Rutte said, arguing that Trump had compelled Europe to “take care of more of our own defense.”
Rutte Defends Trump’s Pressure as Europe Is Pushed to Militarize
Rutte claimed that without Trump’s pressure, major European economies such as Spain, Italy, and France would never have agreed to raise military spending to NATO’s long-standing target of 2 percent of GDP. He described the shift as Europe being forced to “grow up in the post-Cold War world.”
“Without Donald Trump this would never have happened. They’re all on 2% now,” Rutte said.
NATO has since escalated its demands even further, agreeing on a new target of 5 percent of GDP by 2035—an increase originally demanded by Trump and widely seen as aligning European defense policy even more closely with US strategic priorities.
Rutte’s remarks come amid growing controversy over his private communications with Trump, including a deferential message in which he pledged to help “find a way forward” on Greenland. The message sparked criticism across Europe, with French MEP Nathalie Loiseau branding Rutte a groveling “McDonald’s employee of the month” for his flattery of the US president.
Greenland Dispute Exposes NATO’s Submission to US Coercion
The dispute over Greenland—an autonomous Danish Arctic territory—has exposed deep fractures within NATO. Trump has repeatedly pushed for US control over the island, prompting resistance from several European allies.
In response, the US president has threatened tariffs on eight European NATO member states opposing the move and has already sent US troops to the island. Despite the escalation, Rutte downplayed the crisis in Davos, even as Trump claimed on Wednesday that a NATO-backed framework for a Greenland deal is under consideration.
European leaders have increasingly warned that Washington’s conduct reflects a broader collapse of the transatlantic relationship. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stated that Europe must now choose between “self-respect” and becoming a “miserable slave,” warning that the moment could mark “the end of an era of 80 years of Atlantism.”
Rutte’s defense of Trump underscores a growing reality within NATO: US pressure, economic threats, and military leverage are being openly rebranded as leadership, while European sovereignty is treated as a negotiable cost of remaining under Washington’s security umbrella. (PW)