President Donald Trump has urged allies to up their defense spending.
And in an interview with Politico’s Dasha Burns, Trump jokingly said, “NATO calls me daddy.”
Trump’s words, broadcast on Tuesday, were first spoken by Secretary General Mark Rutte in July.
Trump said European leaders were “weak” and “destroying their countries” with migration policies.
Burns asked the president if he would get “involved in European elections.”
Trump replied he was already involved in Europe but wants to “run” the U.S.
Then, Trump joked: “NATO calls me daddy.”
“I mean, I have a lot to say about it. Look, I raised, you know, GDP from 2% to 5%; the 2% they weren’t paying and the 5% they are paying,” Trump said. “And they’re paying it because when we send things over, NATO pays for it, and I assume they give it to Ukraine.”
“But Europe is being destroyed,” he added.
In June, NATO members announced they would increase their contributions to the alliance to 5% of each countries economic output.
Trump praised it as a “big WIN” after a pressure campaign.
Trump then scolded Iran and Israel for a military exchange that threatened a ceasefire he brokered.
Rutte called Trump “a man of strength and peace.”
“Sometimes, daddy has to use strong words, Rutte joked.
