Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free

Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world

Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte has praised Donald Trump for making Europe “pay in a BIG way” on increased defence spending, in a private message that the US president shared on his social media platform.

“Donald, you have driven us to a really, really important moment for America and Europe, and the world,” Rutte wrote ahead of a Nato summit that begins on Tuesday, referencing the US president’s demand that all allies commit to raising defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP.

“You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done,” he added, according to screenshots of his text message posted by Trump to Truth Social while travelling to The Hague.

“It was not easy but we’ve got them all signed onto 5 per cent!” Rutte wrote. “Europe is going to pay in a BIG way, as they should, and it will be your win.”

Rutte’s congratulations belied simmering controversy prompted by Spain’s refusal to agree to the 5 per cent target.

The Nato secretary-general also praised Trump’s “decisive action in Iran, that was truly extraordinary, and something no one else dared to do”.

A Nato official confirmed the message’s authenticity.

While many European allies including Germany, France and the UK have committed to meet Trump’s new target, Spain has secured an opt-out, increasing the likelihood of a clash at the meeting.

Trump posted Rutte’s texts after saying that Spain’s opposition to his 5 per cent demand was a “problem” while aboard Air Force One.

“There’s a problem with Spain. Spain is not [agreeing]. Which is very unfair to the rest of the people,” the US president said.

Trump also questioned the military alliance’s core mutual defence pact, known as Article 5.

“There’s numerous definitions of Article 5. You know that, right? But I’m committed to being their friends . . . I’ve become friends with many of those leaders, and I’m committed to helping them,” he told reporters, referring to Nato’s treaty clause mandating that an attack on one member represents an attack on all.

Ahead of Trump’s arrival, Rutte had sought to reassure allies that as long as they drastically increased their defence spending, Trump would not withdraw US guarantees.

“There is total commitment by the US president . . . to Nato,” Rutte said earlier on Tuesday. “However, it comes with an expectation that we will deal with this . . . huge irritant that we are not spending enough.

“My message to my European colleagues is: stop worrying so much . . . Stop running around being worried about the US. They are with us,” he added.

To meet Trump’s demands, Rutte has drawn up a plan for allies to allocate 3.5 per cent of their GDP to core military spending and 1.5 per cent on areas such as cyber and infrastructure by 2035, to fill gaps in European capabilities.

But Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has refused to commit to the overall 5 per cent target and secured an opt-out by pledging to meet the Nato capabilities goal at what it estimates will be a lower cost.

Rutte has cast doubt on Madrid’s calculations, telling reporters that Spain thought it could achieve Nato’s goal by spending 2.1 per cent of GDP on defence. “Nato is absolutely convinced that Spain will have to spend 3.5 per cent to get there,” he said.

Other capitals have also requested the same “flexibility” that Rutte has granted Madrid, increasing the risk for the summit to end in acrimony and triggering Trump’s ire over what he sees as European allies freeloading on American largesse.

Asked about Sánchez’s statement that 5 per cent was “unnecessary”, Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told reporters in The Hague: “I do think that 5 per cent is necessary and I would argue against those who would potentially say the opposite.

“It would be a very bad signal not least from the European parts of Nato if we were not able to make that [5 per cent] decision,” Kristersson cautioned.