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Scoop
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
The Five Percenters: NATO's Promise Of War
The confidence trickster was at it again on his visit to The Hague, reluctantly meeting members of the overly large family that is NATO. President Donald Trump was hoping to impress upon all present that allies of the United States, whatever inclination and whatever their domestic policy, should spend mightily on defence, inflating the margins of sense and sensibility against marginal threats. Never mind the strain placed on the national budget over such absurd priorities as welfare, health or education. The marvellous irony in this is that much of the budget increases have been prompted by Trump's perceived unreliability and capriciousness when it comes to European affairs. Would he, for instance, treat obligations of collective defence outlined in Article 5 of the organisation's governing treaty with utmost seriousness? Since Washington cannot be relied upon to hold the fort against the satanic savages from the East, various European countries have been encouraging a spike in defence spending to fight the sprites and hobgoblins troubling their consciences at night. The European Union, for instance, has put in place initiatives that will make getting more weaponry and investing in the military industrial complex easier than ever, raising the threshold of defence expenditure across all member countries to 3.5% of GDP by the end of the decade. And then there is the Ukraine conflict, a war Brussels cannot bear to see end on terms that might be remotely favourable to Russia. The promised pecuniary spray made at the NATO summit was seen by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte as utterly natural if not eminently sensible. Not much else was. It was Rutte who remarked with infantile fawning that 'Sometimes Daddy has to use tough language' when it came to sorting out the murderous bickering between Israel and Iran. Daddy Trump approved. 'He likes me, I think he likes me,' the US president crowed with glowing satisfaction. Rutte's behaviour has been viewed with suspicion, as well it should. Under his direction, NATO headquarters have made a point of diminishing any focus on climate change and its Women, Peace, and Security agenda. He has failed to make much of Trump's mania for the annexation of Greenland, or the President's gladiatorial abuse of certain leaders when visiting the White House – Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa come to mind. 'He is not paid to implement MAGA policy,' grumbled a European NATO diplomat to Euroactive. In his doorstep statement of June 25, Rutte made his wish known that the NATO collective possess both the money and capabilities to cope, not just with Russia 'but also the massive build-up of military in China, and the fact that North Korea, China and Iran, are supporting the war effort in Ukraine'. Lashings of butter were also added to the Trump ego when responding to questions. 'Would you really think that the seven or eight countries not at 2% [of GDP expenditure on defence] at the beginning of this year would have reached the 2% if Trump would not have been elected President of the United States?' It was only appropriate, given the contributions of the US ('over 50% of the total NATO economy'), that things had to change for the Europeans and Canadians. The centrepiece of the Hague Summit Declaration is a promise that 5% of member countries' gross GDP will go to 'core defence requirements as well as defence and security-related spending by 2035 to ensure our individual and collective obligations'. Traditional bogeyman Russia is the predictable antagonist, posing a 'long-term threat […] to Euro-Atlantic security', but so was 'the persistent threat of terrorism'. The target is optimistic, given NATO's own recent estimates that nine members spend less than the current target of 2% of GDP. What is misleading in the declaration is the accounting process: the 3.5% of annual GDP that will be spent 'on the agreed definition of NATO defence expenditure by 2035 to resource core defence requirements, and to meet NATO Capability Targets' is one component. The other 1.5%, a figure based on a creative management of accounts, is intended to 'protect our critical infrastructure, defend our networks, ensure our civil preparedness and resilience, unleash innovation, and strengthen our defence industrial base.' Another misleading element in the declaration is the claimed unanimity of member states. The Baltic countries and Poland are forever engaged in increasing their defence budgets in anticipation of a Russian attack, but the same cannot be said of other countries less disposed to the issue. Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, for instance, declared on the eve of the summit that his country had 'better things to spend money on'. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has also called the 5% target 'incompatible with our world view', preferring to focus on a policy of prudent procurement. Rutte seemed to revel in his role as wallah and jesting sycophant, making sure Trump was not only placated but massaged into a state of satisfaction. It was a sight all the stranger for the fact that Trump's view of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is a warm one. Unfortunately for the secretary general, his role will be forever etched in the context of European history as an aspiring warmonger, one valued at 5% of the GDP of any of the NATO member states. Hardly a flattering epitaph.
Business Recorder
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘Do scouts have honour?'
'What's the difference between US politicians and their Pakistani counterparts?' 'The bravado about ending the hold of the deep state on…' 'Nope, that's not it.' 'How about the power of money in decision-making?' 'I guess you are referring to the Israeli lobby and the power of big business, oligarchs is how they are being referred to and…' 'But we too have elite capture.' 'Hmmm, so what is the difference?' 'Let me give you a hint: threat of name change. Trump has renamed the Gulf of Mexico…' 'And named, not renamed, named the Israeli Iran war as the 12-day war. Granted that it's not that original, as another of the numerous wars associated with Israel was the seven-day war…' 'I thought it was very, very, well named.' 'I can detect shades of Rutte – the NATO head whose message on social media was embarrassingly fawning and…' 'The fawning was a private message, Trump simply uploaded it on his…' 'Right, right. But in the case of our politicians they constantly threaten that they would change their names if what they are saying is not the truth, and so far no change.' 'I will have you know that party leaders rename themselves from a select pool of names, and the current names have simply reverted to the original.' 'How many names are in that pool?' 'Hmmmmm, cough, cough, cough…' 'Spill it.' 'I believe….well around ten in some cases fifteen in others and…' 'You being facetious?' 'Scout's honour.' 'Do scouts have honour?' 'Scout's honour as stipulated in their charter, look at it as if it's the constitution and…' 'Dear lord.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
NZ Herald
14 hours ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Luxon shines on global stage but has work to do at home - Fran O'Sullivan
Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who Luxon would meet with later in the week as the sole political leader from the Indo-Pacific Four present at the big security meeting at the Hague, also had a strong career at Unilever before becoming Dutch Prime Minister. Rutte held that role for almost 14 years before taking up the security alliance leadership in October 2024. Further insights into the Unilever style were shared: I was pointed to a Dutch magazine which acknowledged Unilever disproportionally produces leaders as it invested in leadership development long before it became fashionable, and recruitment always factored in more than IQ alone – soft skills and aspects like motivation, personality and worldview. Unilever also used to hire a surplus of management trainees which hence had to compete; people were often thrown into the deep end by being sent overseas, and because of the surplus, good managers ended up elsewhere as well. In Leiden there was business to do. Luxon worked a room stacked with representatives of Kiwi firms based in the Netherlands and potential Dutch investors in NZ. There was keen interest from the private equity players and investors I spoke with in the Government's drive to increase foreign investment in NZ and to leverage the ground-breaking EU-NZ Free Trade Agreement. This is important as the Government seeks to obtain broader-based investment in NZ. This will be emphasised later this year at the European Business Summit, which is expected to attract participation by potential investors from Europe. The Prime Minister is now in his sweet spot on these international sojourns. He is a practised hand when it comes to putting his hustle on. That was evident at his earlier business meetings in Shanghai and Beijing where he promoted NZ dairy and beef products, tourism and more. His meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang were highly successful. It was obvious at the Great Hall of the People that he had struck a warm accord with both leaders – the body language spoke to that along with flattering comments from the president. At the Nato dinner he was placed with French President Emmanuel Macron and EU President Ursula von der Leyen. The Nato meeting was essentially a drum roll for US President Donald Trump off the back of the US bombing Iranian nuclear facilities and his efforts to bring Israel and Iran back to negotiations. The European partners in Nato have agreed to increase their defence budgets at Trump's urging. The meeting between Rutte and Nato's Indo-Pacific partners – NZ, South Korea, Japan and Australia – was more vanilla. Rutte's statement indicated Nato and the Indo-Pacific Four were committed to strengthening dialogue and co-operation, based on shared strategic interests and common values, and on the recognition that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific is interconnected. Rutte expressed Nato's gratitude to the Indo-Pacific partners for their 'steadfast support' to Ukraine and Flagship Projects. Where Nato and the Indo-Pacific Four will concentrate is on learning from each other on key topics, including the security of supply chains, development, production and procurement processes. They will look to collaborate on projects to deliver capabilities including in the space and maritime domains, and in the area of munitions. There will also be co-operation with Nato on emerging and disruptive technologies and opportunities to foster co-operation on innovation through relevant actors, including dual-use start-ups. It seems clear from the Nato statement that the interoperability of NZ's forces with the Western security alliance will also be pursued with the potential to create collaborative defence industrial opportunities. This is heady stuff. Luxon returned to NZ yesterday after 12 days on the road. He is faced with declining polls, the need to engage more with the senior business community through listening and to ensure domestic issues like NZ's energy security are solved. He's done a good job on the global stage - there is now work to be done at home.
Euractiv
18 hours ago
- Business
- Euractiv
The Brief – 27 June 2025: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Orlando Whitehead Euractiv Jun 27, 2025 18:13 4 min. read Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer's interpretation of facts and data. Good Friday afternoon. Well done for making it through the succession of early doorsteps and late nights, roundtables and sideline stunts, and all the thrills that came with a double-barrel week of NATO and EUCO summits. As is always the case when Trump is on the bill, the meeting in The Hague was the focus of attention, his arrival prefaced by debate in Europe about defence spending. Keeping the big man sweet was the name of the game, and alliance chief Rutte was prepared to prostrate himself (and European allies) for his excellency's pleasure. Any self-respecting person would have told him to knock it off. Instead, Trump shared the intimate messages. And the NATO comms team kept up the nauseating narrative, sharing a "family photo" shortly after the 'daddy' of the group cast doubt over America's commitment to Article 5 – the very cornerstone of the alliance. It's almost as if someone's forgotten who came to their assistance on the only occasion the crucial article has ever been invoked... Surprising perhaps, was the general acceptance that this degradation was vindicated by Trump's apparent satisfaction with the 5% pledge. A credulous Rutte vaunted a "stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance", and others applauded his efforts. If realpolitik demands spinlessness, so be it. The President's parting homage to "the love and the passion that [EU leaders] showed for their country" was especially uncomfortable to hear. "I've never seen anything like it,' he beamed. Neither had we. But will it stop him clobbering the continent with 50% tariffs in two weeks? Don't hold your breath. EUCO With NATO hailed a success, a weary procession headed closer to Euractiv HQ for the European Council summit, which president António Costa was intent on keeping to one day (they overshot by a couple of hours). High on the agenda was the EU's response to incoming US tariffs, and how to strike the balance between assertiveness and provoking an aggressive pushback. While the jury is out on the best strategy for dealing with POTUS, the desire to reduce economic dependence on America is universal. To this end, von der Leyen floated the idea of an alternative to the World Trade Organisation, whose rules Trump has interpreted as optional as he rides roughshod over free trade agreements. But besides indicating that this could not include the US, the proposal is still in gestation. A Space Act to make Musk blast off? Not content with wrapping 27 member countries with red tape, the Commission plans to turn its regulatory spray gun on the cosmos, with a landmark Space Act that aims to set the global standards for launching rockets and maintaining satellites. The law won't apply until at least 2030, but it could be on a collision course with tech companies already angling to exploit the extraterrestrial zone. Greenwashing back on the menu? The controversy that broke last Friday when the Commission announced that the Green Claims law would be dropped, continued to boil this week. Whilst a Commission official told The Capitals newsletter on Sunday that the law – which is designed to prevent companies from making unfounded claims about the environmental or climate friendliness of their products – would live on (albeit substantially diluted), Italy withdrew support for the law on Monday, casting further doubt over its future. Progressive MEPs have been fuming over the subterfuge but EPP president Manfred Weber was unrepentant, describing a "authoritarian wave" of green policies that his party is on a mission to kill. Vilified by the left, assailed by the right At the same time, the Commission was targeted by a motion of no confidence on Thursday, brought forward by 74 right-wing MEPs belonging to the Patriots for Europe and ECR groups. But the motion lost momentum as Meloni's allies were divided on whether to get behind the campaign and it transpired that an eventual plenary vote would likely be unsuccessful. Want to get The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in your inbox? Subscribe to The Brief.
USA Today
19 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump 'daddy' shirt with his mugshot is for sale, latest riff of NATO leader's comment
President Donald Trump's supporters can now purchase a shirt that labels Trump as "daddy" following comments from a NATO leader. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte later said he wasn't talking about Trump specifically when he said "daddy has to sometimes use strong language." But the Trump world has seized on the moment, releasing a video of Trump set to "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" by Usher on June 25. Now, they're selling "Daddy" merch, too. The Trump War Room, run by Trump's campaign operation, posted June 26 on X a shirt with Trump's mugshot that says "Daddy" in bold letters underneath. His mugshot was taken following his 2023 arrest in Georgia on charges alleging he tried to overturn the 2020 election results. (He pleaded not guilty, and the case is currently facing delays.) The shirts are on sale for $35 and the Win Red website indicates they are available in a limited quantity. More: T1 Phone latest golden accessory from Trump world after sneakers, seatbelts and tweezers Sizzle reel shows Trump at NATO summit set to 'Hey Daddy' by Usher Trump was in the Netherlands for the NATO Summit on June 24 and 25. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles also traveled with him. The alliance of 32 countries agreed to increase their defense spending, which Trump has called a win. But the "daddy" comment seems to have overshadowed much of the Summit news. The shirt follows a video created by the White House and posted on social media. The video is something of a sizzle reel is set to "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" by Usher. The song is frequently used in TikTok videos, often as the background of flirtatious or sexualized videos of men. Who called Trump 'daddy?' NATO Secretary Mark Rutte used the word "daddy," but he denied that he used it to describe Trump. "Daddy has to sometimes use strong language," Rutte said. On his way to the summit, Trump cursed when talking about the Iran-Israel ceasefire, which appeared to be on shaky ground at the time. Rutte said at a later press conference he was using "daddy" to refer to U.S. leadership in general, explaining that he views how some European countries talk about the U.S as a child-parent relationship. Mark Rutte's message to Trump: 'It will be your win' NATO leaders were generally complimentary of Trump in hopes that Trump would agree to their mutual defense principle. The praise started before the summit, with a text from Rutte to Trump that the president later posted on social media. "Donald, you have driven us to a really, really, important moment for America and Europe, and the world," Rutte's message read. "Safe travels and see you at His Majesty's dinner!" NATO Summit recap: Alliance gives Trump higher spending NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a security alliance of 32 countries from North America and Europe. The NATO Summit happens at key moments for the alliance rather than on regular periods. The last summit was held in Washington, D.C., in July 2024. NATO leaders on June 25 endorsed higher defense spending that Trump has demanded. "We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defense as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty – that an attack on one is an attack on all," the brief communique stated, according to Reuters. Contributing: John Bacon, Francesca Chambers, Jorge L. Ortiz, Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@ Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @
