Social media lit up Tuesday after a bizarre moment during a press event in The Hague — and it had nothing to do with policy.
While talking about the Israel-Iran conflict, former President Donald Trump compared it to a schoolyard brawl.
“They’re not going to be fighting each other — they’ve had it. They’ve had a big fight,” Trump said. “Like two kids in a schoolyard, you know? They fight like hell, you can’t stop them. Let them fight for about two, three minutes, then it’s easier to stop them.”
Then came the cringe heard around the world.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte jumped in with a comment no one saw coming: “Then daddy has to sometimes use strong language,” Rutte said, referring to Trump’s F-bomb the day before.
Trump laughed. “Strong language! Every once in a while, you have to use a certain word,” he responded.
That was all it took.
MAGA influencer Nick Sortor posted, “LMAO! The NATO Chief just called President Trump ‘Daddy’ following his f-bomb drop. 47 runs this show.”
Eric Daughtery of FLVoiceNews wrote simply: “Omg 😂”
Right-wing pundit Krista Monroe couldn’t get enough: “NATO chief, Secretary-General Mark Rutte, laughs as he casually endorses Trump’s use of the F Bomb. ‘Sometimes Daddy has to use strong language,’ he chuckles. I am crying from laughing!!”
The account MAGA Kitty added: “Q: Who’s YOUR DADDY? A: President Trump’s YOUR DADDY!”
But not everyone was laughing.
“Daddy?? What the actual HELL is going on?!” wrote @HustleBitch_.
“NATO chief just called Trump ‘Daddy’ on camera and people are losing it!”
@Biz_Ukraine_Mag called it a sad reflection of modern politics: “The NATO chief is now calling Trump ‘Daddy’ — it is a tragic reality that this behavior is regarded by many European leaders as expedient.”
And @PaulConRO delivered the line that became the headline: “A new level of cringe: Rutte calls Trump ‘Daddy.’”
Whether it was a joke, a slip, or a surreal show of support, the internet isn’t letting it go.
Watch the clip below:
🚨 LMAO! The NATO Chief just called President Trump “Daddy” following his f-bomb drop
47 runs this show 🤣 pic.twitter.com/WRv2HYBOh9
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 25, 2025
