NATO chief praises Trump as ‘man of strength’ after Iran nuclear strikes
President Donald Trump received high praise at the 2025 NATO Summit following the U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities over the weekend. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte commended Trump as a “man of strength” and a “man of peace.”
“I just want to recognize your decisive action on Iran,” Rutte said during his joint remarks with the president. “You are a man of strength, but you are also a man of peace. And the fact that you are now also successful in getting this ceasefire done between Israel and Iran—I really want to commend you for that. I think this is important for the whole world.”
During his journey to the Netherlands for the summit, Trump shared messages from Rutte expressing support for the military action against Iran. Rutte lauded Trump’s initiative, stating, “Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, that was truly extraordinary, and something no one else dared to do. It makes us all safer.”
Rutte also applauded Trump’s efforts to persuade NATO members to increase their defense spending, with all countries (except Spain) agreeing to allocate 5% of their GDP to defense. Rutte praised Trump for achieving a feat that no American president had accomplished in decades.
Various leaders of NATO member states had differing reactions to the airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, with some calling for de-escalation while acknowledging the threat posed by a nuclear-armed Iran to global security.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the grave threat that Iran’s nuclear program poses to international security and urged Iran to engage in diplomatic negotiations to resolve the crisis. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the need for a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Fox News Digital team, including writer Morgan Phillips, contributed to this report.
Rachel Wolf, a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business, authored this article.
