Rutte and the embarrassing quotes from his term in office: from Trump’s ‘Paparino’ to a defenceless Europe
The nickname ‘Paparino’ – which he used to refer to President Trump – is extremely well known
Key points
With today’s comments on 24 June, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has once again shown himself to be prone to less-than-cautious remarks, if not outright gaffes. During an interview with Fox News, Rutte stated that 500 US aircraft had used Italian bases “to support” Operation “Epic Fury”. “That is a huge number,” he said. “If you look at the whole of Europe, we’re talking about between 4,000 and 5,000 flight missions,” Rutte added. This has sparked a row, with the opposition calling on the Meloni government.
‘Dad sometimes has to speak firmly’
This is not the first time Rutte has made headlines outside of official statements. In June 2025, exactly one year ago, Rutte met the President of the United States Donald Trump on the sidelines of the NATO summit. Trump described the Israel-Iran war as a ‘schoolyard squabble’, adding that it is easier to stop them after letting them let off steam for a couple of minutes. ‘Daddy sometimes has to use strong language,’ Rutte remarked at the end of Trump’s remarks. That rather unconventional ‘Daddy’ comment highlighted Rutte’s potential for flattery at a time when President Trump was already showing strong signs of impatience towards NATO.
Around the same time as the now infamous ‘Paparino’ post, Trump published a highly embarrassing message sent by Rutte. In the message, Rutte used emphatic language in capital letters – typical of ‘Trumpian’ style – to praise the President, writing: ‘Donald, you have led us to a truly, truly important moment for America, Europe and the world.’
Europe defenceless without the US security umbrella
In January 2026 – just six months ago, in fact – Rutte sparked widespread outrage amongst European Union politicians when he bluntly dismissed Europe’s ability to operate militarily without the United States. ‘If anyone here thinks… that the European Union or Europe as a whole can defend itself without the United States, they can keep dreaming. It’s not possible,’ Rutte told EU politicians in Brussels. On that occasion, Rutte also stated that without the United States, Europe ‘would lose the ultimate guarantor of our freedom, namely the US nuclear umbrella. So, well, good luck!’
The search for a vision
Even as Prime Minister of the Dutch government, Rutte was no stranger to unorthodox remarks. In 2010, defending his pragmatic approach, he said: ‘If you’re looking for vision, you’d be better off going to an optician.’ The Dutch opposition harshly criticised his government’s lack of a long-term strategic vision.
