The 'Daddy' Debate: NATO's Banter with Trump

The White House has playfully adopted the term 'daddy' for President Donald Trump in a playful move, following its use by Dutch NATO chief Mark Rutte. The exchange took place during a recent NATO summit, where Trump criticized Israel and Iran over their ceasefire violations.

In a conversation with Trump, Rutte laughed and remarked, 'And then daddy has to sometimes use strong language to get them to stop.' This light-hearted reference was posted on X with a video featuring Usher's song 'Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home),' alongside footage of Trump at the summit in The Hague.

Rutte later clarified that his use of 'daddy' represented the way some allies view the United States' leadership within NATO, rather than a direct reference to Trump himself. Rutte emphasized that NATO members understood the need to increase their defense spending alongside the U.S.

(With inputs from agencies.)