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Ahead of the NATO summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has praised President Trump for securing a historic increase in defense spending across the alliance and for his decision to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Getting into it: In private messages sent to Trump, which were later posted on his Truth Social account, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised Trump’s pressure on allies to boost their contributions as a breakthrough, writing, “It was not easy, but we’ve got them all signed on to five percent.” He credited Trump personally for achieving what “no American president in decades could get done,” adding that Europe is “going to pay in a BIG way, as they should — and it will be your win.” Rutte has made the 5% defense spending benchmark a central goal of his leadership, insisting that the financial commitment is vital to NATO’s long-term credibility and global security posture.

The new agreement sets a target of 5% of GDP to be spent on defense, split into 3.5% for core military readiness and 1.5% for related areas such as cybersecurity, infrastructure, and supply chains. Major NATO economies like Germany and the UK have pledged to reach this target within the next decade. Countries bordering Russia and Belarus, including Poland and the Baltic states, have also backed the plan, seeing it as essential given growing regional threats.

Despite this, resistance remains from some member nations. Spain has pushed back hard, calling the 5% target unrealistic and politically toxic amid domestic opposition. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez claimed his country had secured a partial exemption, a claim Rutte flatly denied, reiterating that “NATO does not do side deals.” Belgium and Slovakia also signaled reluctance, citing budget constraints and the need for internal political consensus. Rutte acknowledged the challenge but warned that “each ally must carry their fair share of the burden.”

Rutte also expressed strong support for Trump’s recent military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, calling the operation “truly extraordinary” and adding that “it makes us all safer.” When reporters asked whether he was concerned that Trump had publicized the private praise, Rutte responded, “Absolutely no problem — there was nothing in it that had to stay secret.”