Trump’s NATO Remarks Highlight Trade and Alliance Dynamics

Former President Donald TRUMP stirred controversy at the NATO summit with remarks about trade negotiations with Spain, a move that would require EU-wide coordination. "We’re going to make them pay twice as much," he declared, despite the European Commission’s exclusive authority over trade deals for member states. The statement, reported by Reuters, underscores the logistical and political hurdles such a demand would face.

Trump also leaned into his unorthodox diplomatic persona, joking about NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte referring to him as "daddy" and basking in praise from fellow leaders. "They said, ‘You did it, sir, you did it,’" he recounted with visible amusement. The tone of this summit marked a departure from his first term, where tensions over NATO’s collective defense clause dominated discussions.