NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte seemed to have found the key to a successful summit with US President Donald Trump: Lavish the White House chief with praise.

At a bilateral meeting during the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on 25/6, Rutte charmed Trump by comparing him to "a father" in handling international affairs.

US President Donald Trump (center) with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague on 25/6. Photo: AFP

US President Donald Trump (center) with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague on 25/6. Photo: AFP

Trump had likened Israel and Iran to "two kids who just had a big fight in the schoolyard."

"You know, kids fight hard. You can’t stop them. So let the two kids fight for two, three minutes, and then it’s easier to stop them," Trump quipped.

Rutte surprised many by interjecting, "Sometimes the father has to use some tough love to make them stop."

Trump nodded in agreement, "That’s right, you have to use tough love."

The day before, Trump had expressed frustration over alleged violations of a ceasefire he brokered between Israel and Iran. He criticized both countries to the press and on social media.

Rutte’s "tough love" remark seemed to refer to this incident.

Trump embraced Rutte's playful analogy. In a press conference, he said Rutte meant it affectionately.

The NATO Secretary General later defended his word choice and continued to praise Trump, describing him as "a good friend."

The exchange between Trump and Rutte was just one example of the warm approach NATO leaders adopted to win Trump's favor at the summit.

Upon arriving in The Hague on 24/6, Trump was invited to the magnificent 17th-century Huis ten Bosch Palace for a reception with other NATO leaders before staying overnight as a guest of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. This clearly created initial enthusiasm for the president, known for his fondness for lavish ceremonies, especially royal ones.

Trump beamed as he met the King, Queen, and Princess of the Netherlands, later describing them as "beautiful and wonderful people."

On 25/6, refreshed after breakfast with the royal family, Trump praised the "beautiful Netherlands" as he traveled in his "Beast" limousine to the summit venue.

"Real movie stars," he said of the Dutch royals. "And our working breakfast was great too!"

"I want to thank them for the incredible reception they gave us; couldn’t have been, couldn’t have been better," Trump enthused. "And this is a beautiful country… I saw the most beautiful rows of trees. I want to bring them home."

While most NATO leaders fielded questions from the media upon arrival, Trump was ushered in through a separate entrance.

The NATO summit, previously a three-day affair, was condensed into a three-hour sprint, and the joint declaration was kept concise. Crucially, all 32 NATO members signed a declaration agreeing to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, an ambitious target.

Also contributing to the president's good mood was the scarcity of contentious questions, such as how allies would meet the proposed defense spending increase from 2% to 5% of GDP, the largest increase in their defense budgets since the Cold War.

This was a stark contrast to Trump's 2018 visit to the NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium. He began that summit by pushing past Montenegro’s Prime Minister Dusko Markovic for a photo opportunity and ended it with a last-minute emergency meeting where he threatened to withdraw US support from the alliance if members didn’t spend more on defense.

Concerns about Trump's mood at this year's summit gradually subsided and then disappeared entirely as the president attended meetings without any outbursts or harsh demands, while allies promised to do more.

President Trump at the reception with NATO leaders at Huis ten Bosch Palace on 24/6. Photo: AFP

President Trump at the reception with NATO leaders at Huis ten Bosch Palace on 24/6. Photo: AFP

By shifting their strategy from confrontation to commendation, NATO officials believed they had finally succeeded in changing Trump’s view of the alliance.

"We are taking the approach like the people in Trump’s world and MAGA," a European diplomat familiar with the matter said.

"The result is a very good atmosphere," the diplomat added. "This is the Trump effect."

NATO’s "red carpet" strategy paid off in Trump’s closing press conference, where he praised Rutte and other leaders he met at the event.

In a marked shift from his previous harsh comments about the alliance, Trump said NATO "is not a rip-off, they really love their countries."

"It was a long trip but a worthwhile one," Trump said. "We accomplished tremendous things."

He also described how leaders spoke to him "with love and passion" about their countries. "They want to protect their countries," he emphasized. "They have great respect for me."

Finally, Trump seemed to signal that any past friction between him and NATO had been erased.

"We are here to help," he said.

Vu Hoang (According to AFP, Reuters, Telegraph, Politico)