President Donald Trump's participation in this week's NATO summit was well-received and represented a significant victory for him, contrasting with similar meetings during his previous administration.

'This has been a hugely successful summit for President Trump.'

In 2018, when Trump was pushing NATO allies to meet their then-target of 2% of GDP for defense spending, he got into a spat with German officials after he scolded the country for cutting an oil and gas deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He accused Germany of being "totally controlled by Russia," calling it a "very bad thing for NATO."

The following year, several allies — then-Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, then-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, and President of France Emmanuel Macron — were caught on camera mocking Trump.

In contrast, this year's NATO summit in the Netherlands was notably successful for Trump.

G7 summit on June 9, 2018, in Charlevoix, Canada. Photo by Jesco Denzel /Bundesregierung via Getty Images

Dr. Nile Gardiner, director of the Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom and Bernard and Barbara Lomas fellow, told Blaze News, "This has been a hugely successful summit for President Trump and a demonstration of real U.S. leadership on the world stage — a dramatic difference to the weak-kneed Biden presidency."

At one point, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte even praised Trump for striking Iran's nuclear enrichment sites.

"I just want to recognize your decisive action in Iran. You are a man of strength, but you are also a man of peace. The fact that you are now also successful in getting this ceasefire done between Israel and Iran, I really want to commend you for it. And I think this is important for the whole world," Rutte told Trump on Wednesday.

Rutte also credited Trump for securing substantial defense-spending increases to 5% of GDP.

"Without President Trump, this would not have happened," he remarked.

U.S. President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

During a Wednesday afternoon press conference in the Netherlands, Trump reported that his NATO allies were "so respectful" toward him. He celebrated the increased defense-spending commitments from the ally countries.

"I left here saying that these people really love their countries. It's not a rip-off, and we're here to help them protect their countries," Trump said.

The only conflict Trump expressed was with Spain, the only country that refused to commit to the defense-spending targets. He vowed to negotiate "directly with Spain" on a trade deal, adding that it would have to "pay twice as much" to make up the "unfair" difference in defense spending.

Trump also confirmed that he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who he stated "couldn't have been nicer" to him.

Trump mentioned that he and Zelenskyy had previously experienced some "rough times," likely referring to the tense exchange he and Vice President JD Vance had with the Ukrainian president earlier this year at the White House.

Trump remarked that he had a "good meeting with Zelenskyy" at this week's NATO summit, adding that Zelenskyy and Putin would like to see an end to the ongoing war.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Trump to take on NATO summit: Will allies step up or stall?

President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the NATO summit in the Hague, Netherlands, held on June 24 and 25, where world leaders are anticipated to cover a wide range of pressing topics.

The annual meeting provides Trump with an opportunity to promote American interests over globalist ideals while reducing the United States' defense burdens, potentially reshaping the alliance.

'President Trump will be calling on NATO allies to step up to the plate and invest in the defense of Europe.'

This will be the first NATO summit hosted in the Netherlands since the alliance's founding in 1949. Approximately 9,000 attendees are expected, including 6,000 officials representing various countries.

Defense spending

A top concern for the Trump administration is ensuring that American taxpayers do not carry an unfair defense burden compared to their NATO counterparts.

Trump has maintained a firm stance with NATO allies, pressuring the countries to substantially increase defense spending from 2% of their GDP to 5% as part of the president's efforts to push for burden-sharing among the nations.

Nile Gardiner, the director of the Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom and Bernard and Barbara Lomas Fellow, told Blaze News that defense spending is expected to "dominate" most of the summit.

"This is the top priority for the U.S. administration. President Trump will be calling on NATO allies to step up to the plate and invest in the defense of Europe. I think you'll be looking for all of the alliance members to pledge to spend 5% of GDP on defense," Gardiner stated.

NATO's 32 allies previously agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

With ongoing concerns of escalation from Russia, NATO's latest plan aims for 5% of GDP for defense budgets, including 3.5% for military spending and 1.5% for security-related infrastructure.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Photo by SIMON WOHLFAHRT/AFP via Getty Images

Last month, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he expects the ally countries to agree to the new goal during the upcoming annual summit.

"Let's say that this 5% — but I will not say what is the individual breakup, but it will be considerably north of 3% when it comes to the hard spend, and it will be also a target on defense-related spending," Rutte remarked.

‘The reality right now is Europe is not in a position to defend itself.’

The Financial Times reported in late May that Spain was the last major holdout on NATO's plan to increase defense spending.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated last month that when he met with José Manuel Albares, Spain's foreign minister, he "urged Spain to join Allies in committing 5% of GDP to defense."

Albares responded, "There was an exchange [with Rubio], and both of us expressed our views very clearly. I insisted that it was a huge effort to reach 2% and that the debate right now needs to focus on capabilities."

Spain currently commits only 1.28% of its GDP to defense spending. In April, Pedro Sánchez, Spain's prime minister, announced a plan to meet NATO's existing 2% requirement for the first time in 2025.

A White House official confirmed to Blaze News that Trump "intends to secure a historic 5% defense spending pledge from NATO allies that will advance stability in Europe and around the world."

NATO members reached an agreement on Sunday to increase their defense spending target to 5% of GDP. Yet Spain opted out.

Sánchez declared, “We fully respect the legitimate desire of other countries to increase their defense investment, but we are not going to do so.”

On Monday morning, Rutte held a press conference before the summit, confirming that NATO members had agreed to the new defense spending goals.

Peace through strength

The Trump administration has prioritized facilitating peace talks between Ukraine and Russia to end the war and reduce the United States' aid commitments. Meanwhile, tensions between Israel and Iran also remain ongoing. The U.S. launched airstrikes against three of Iran's nuclear enrichment sites over the weekend.

Resolving these conflicts is certain to be another key topic at the upcoming summit. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker previously stated that the Trump administration will begin talks with allies later this year about withdrawing American troops from Europe.

While Whitaker previously stated that "nothing has been determined," he noted that the administration would converse with NATO allies after the summit.

"It's more than 30 years of U.S. desire [to reduce troops in Europe], President Trump just said enough, this is going to happen and it's going to happen now. This is going to be orderly, but we are not going to have any more patience for foot-dragging in this situation. ... We just need to work through the practical consequences," Whitaker remarked.

US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker. Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Earlier this month, Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, stated that Russia would not end the war with Ukraine until NATO withdraws its military forces from Eastern Europe, citing it as a central cause of the war.

Ryabkov stated that America must take actionable steps to address "the root causes" behind Russia's security disputes.

"Among these causes, NATO expansion is in the foreground. Without resolving this fundamental and most acute problem for us, it is simply impossible to resolve the current conflict in the Euro-Atlantic region," he said. "Given the nature and genesis of the Ukrainian crisis, provoked by the previous U.S. authorities and the West as a whole, this conflict naturally acts, well, if you like, as a test, a trial, which checks the seriousness of Washington's intentions to straighten out our relations."

Trump stated that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 14, mainly about the Iran conflict. He noted, "Much less time was spent talking about Russia/Ukraine," but he indicated that there will be future discussions regarding that war.

"He is doing the planned prisoner swaps — large numbers of prisoners are being exchanged, immediately, from both sides. The call lasted approximately 1 hour. He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end," Trump wrote in a post on social media.

‘Trump will be urging strong support from NATO members for Israel unity, calling for an end to Iran's nuclear program.’

Trump attended the Group of Seven summit in Canada, which was held from June 15 through 17, but left before the event's final day when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Rutte joined a breakfast discussion about the ongoing conflict. Several Cabinet members, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, remained at the event to represent the U.S.

Zelenskyy, who will also be attending the NATO summit, has been pushing for allies to implement stricter sanctions against Russia.

Gardiner stated that he anticipated the Trump administration would press European allies to increase military production to ensure that they have the industrial capacity necessary to "produce large amounts of tanks, weapons, aircraft, [and] ammunition to use for the defense of Europe against Russia."

"The reality right now is Europe is not in a position to defend itself," Gardiner continued. "I think, also, President Trump will be urging European NATO allies to stop buying Russian energy."

He noted that European NATO members purchased roughly €7 billion worth of liquefied natural gas from Moscow.

"They are directly helping to fund the Russian war machine," Gardiner said. "In fact, European NATO allies spend more money buying Russian gas than they do in terms of military assistance in Ukraine."

NATO 75th anniversary celebratory event on July 9, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Gardiner added that recent conflict in the Middle East would also likely be front and center during the summit.

"Trump will be urging strong support from NATO members for Israel unity," Gardiner stated.

Trump has repeatedly stated that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons.

"For 40 years, they've been saying 'death to America,' 'death to Israel,' 'death' to anybody else that they didn't like," Trump told reporters on Wednesday. "If you go back 15 years, I was saying, 'We cannot let Iran get a nuclear weapon.'"

After bombing Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities, Trump warned that Iran would face further strikes if its leaders fail to reach a peace agreement with Israel.

During the Monday press conference, Rutte addressed the United States' recent strikes against Iran.

"When it comes to NATO's stance on Iran's nuclear program, allies have long agreed that Iran must not develop a nuclear weapon. Allies have repeatedly urged Iran to meet its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty," Rutte stated.

A reporter asked Rutte whether he has concerns that the U.S. strike on Iran would result in the Trump administration deprioritizing NATO.

"I don't think so," he replied. "The news about Iran is, at this moment, grabbing all the headlines, and it is, of course, important news, but this summit is really about making sure that the whole of NATO, 1 billion people, will be safe, not only today but also three, five, seven years from now."

"Let's not forget, Iran is heavily involved in the fight of Russia against Ukraine," Rutte continued. "No doubt it will emerge in the discussions."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Judge accused of helping illegal alien evade ICE says she didn't think 'avoid ICE' meant anything illegal

Massachusetts District Judge Shelley Joseph denied wanting to help an illegal alien evade federal detention by helping him exit a courtroom through a back door.

In 2018, Joseph was presiding over a drug possession hearing for Jose Medina-Perez, a man from the Dominican Republic who had already been deported from the U.S. in 2003 and 2007.

During the hearing, the judge asked for the official recording of the proceeding to be turned off while she had a discussion with the defense attorney, allegedly to talk about how to help the illegal immigrant evade ICE agents. This week, the defense attorney testified as to what was said during the unrecorded period.

'It sends a dangerous message that political activism is more important than the rule of law.'

Attorney David Jellinek testified on Monday that during a 52-second off-the-record sidebar conversation, he told Judge Joseph he wanted to get his client, the illegal alien, out of the courthouse without interacting with ICE, the Boston Herald reported.

The attorney said he was aware of a back door used by court officers for criminal defendants and told the judge he would use it with her permission. Jellinek said, according to the Boston Herald, that he knew he was "on the edge" of ethical and legal standards, but said he did not break the law.

In a report from CBS Boston, the transcript of the hearing revealed that Jellinek had another reason for wanting to help his client evade ICE.

Jellinek reportedly stated that he thought ICE was looking for the wrong man and wanted time to investigate and prove that fact.

When Judge Joseph was asked if she thought her discussion with Jellinek meant he wanted to "go out the back door," Joseph replied, "Oh, God no."

Joseph was also asked in the CBS Boston report whether she knew the words "avoid ICE" meant to avoid federal authorities in "any improper way," to which she replied no.

Joseph also said she would "absolutely not" have been a party to anything illegal like that, either.

According to the Boston Herald, Joseph could face devastating punishments.

Special counsel Judith Fabricant from the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct has recommended Judge Joseph be indefinitely suspended and stripped of her $207,855 salary for an alleged failure to uphold the standards of a judge.

The commission cannot remove a judge, but Fabricant suggested that a referral to lawmakers for Joseph's removal should be made.

Newton District Court Judge Shelley Joseph (C) cries after leaving federal court in Boston on April 25, 2019. Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Paul Craney of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance told Blaze News that Judge Joseph's actions represent a troubling breakdown of public trust in the judicial system.

"When a sitting judge allegedly aids a twice-deported criminal in evading federal law enforcement, then attempts to cover it up by disabling a courtroom recorder, it sends a dangerous message that political activism is more important than the rule of law," Craney said.

Craney added that accountability on the bench "must be restored" and that the hearing was "long overdue."

The case will likely not be settled until at least early August, however, as a hearing officer said the parties involved have until July 3 to file briefs and then until July 10 to respond to them.

A written report and recommendation for the CJC comes 30 days after that, which would be around August 10.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

America Needs Stronger Missile Defenses Against Expanding Enemy Arsenals

Our enemies fear the strategic edge Golden Dome would give us and are desperate to stop it before it starts.

Cheapskate Canada 'threatens' NORAD? Trump dangles 51st-state solution

Canada could soon be booted from NORAD, the binational aerospace defense system it has shared with the U.S. since 1958.

The reason? Once again backing away from its commitment to replace its decrepit F-18s with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the jet that is used by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Marines.

Canada has a long history of ... putting off the acquisition of military aircraft until they are nearing obsolescence when finally delivered.

Canada needs to buy the F-35 to be compatible with the U.S., as well as with the other principal allies that Canada also flies with: the U.K. and Australia.

East Alaska?

But President Donald Trump hinted at a way his penny-pinching neighbors to the north could get around the costly upgrade: Join the U.S. as its 51st state.

Who needs NORAD when you can enjoy the benefits of Trump's ambitious Golden Dome missile defense shield — free of charge?

“I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State,” Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday.

“They are considering the offer!” the president couldn't resist adding.

Straight man

Canada was quick to play the straight man to Trump's trolling.

A spokesperson for Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney said: “The prime minister has been clear at every opportunity, including in his conversations with president Trump, that Canada is an independent, sovereign nation, and it will remain one,” according to the Financial Times.

Carney ordered a review of the F-35 purchase in March, insisting that Canada could be better served with fighter jets produced by Sweden, France, or the U.K. Although Britain remains a primary military partner, Canada does virtually no military training or operations with Sweden or France.

That suggestion has prompted U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra to note that any cancellation of the F-35 contract would have serious consequences for Canada — including threatening NORAD, over which the two countries have maintained joint command of operations for almost 60 years.

Plane speaking

“I think that's worked pretty well for the U.S., and it's worked well for Canada. It's, I think, one of the only, if not the only, bilateral military relationship in the world. So I think it would, but, I mean, there's criteria, OK, and some of those criteria are being questioned right now,” Hoekstra told CTV News.

Hoekstra continued:

One of the criteria for NORAD is interchangeability and interoperability. So that would mean that, you know, we're flying the same kinds of planes, we're using the parts, and, you know, it's all interchangeable. It's one system. You know, Canada is challenging that; they've made a decision to buy F-35s; that's now up for review. If Canadians are flying one airplane, we're flying another airplane, it's no longer interchangeable. And so that might even threaten NORAD, without talking about new alliances that promise even more security and safety to our people.

It’s not clear whether Hoekstra’s comments were designed for Trump to open the door on Golden Dome negotiations, but he has nonetheless exposed one of the more absurd and potentially tragic exercises in Canadian military procurement.

Jet set

Canada has a long history of either sabotaging its own aerospace industry — as with the cancellation of the famed Avro Arrow in 1958 — or by putting off the acquisition of military aircraft until they are nearing obsolescence when finally delivered.

The F-35 is another case in point. Canada has dithered so long on its decision to buy or not to buy that sixth-generation fighter jet technology is now on the horizon.

Incredibly, the government of Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien first signed on to the F-35 program in 2002. Even though that was almost 25 years ago, Canada has managed through successive governments never to see the delivery of one aircraft.

Chretien refused to make a decision on the F-35, as did his successor, Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who toyed with Canada’s air force for nine years over the deal. Meanwhile, the military continued to fly the F-18/A, as it had since 1982.

Today, those jets are over 45 years old.

Justin Trudeau campaigned in 2015 on a pledge never to buy the F-35, but after eight years of reviewing other aircraft, he flip-flopped on that promise in January 2023 and agreed to buy 88 of the jets at a cost of $85 million (USD) each.

Hoekstra's comments sent a clear message: fish or cut bait. Enough with using military spending as a political poker chip; upgrade to the F-35 or leave NORAD.

In response, Carney offered more dithering.

"The review of the F-35 contract is ongoing," he said at a news conference last week. "There's many factors that come into that interoperability that would relate to the NORAD element. There’s value for money, broader Canadian industrial impacts. All of those are factors that are under consideration."

EXCLUSIVE: FCC Commissioner Says Spectrum Auction Could Be ‘Win-Win’

'Is the juice worth the squeeze?'

Navy sends second warship to US southern border to 'restore territorial integrity'

U.S. Northern Command deployed the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Gravely to the Gulf of America on March 15 to secure American territorial waters and to help prevent waterborne drug-runners from shipping their poison into the United States.

On Saturday, a second guided missile destroyer embarked on a mission to support U.S. Northern Command southern border operations — this time down the West Coast.

NORTHCOM announced Saturday that the USS Spruance — one of the American ships previously with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group that Houthi terrorists tried to damage in the Red Sea last year — departed Naval Base San Diego.

The warship is accompanied by an embedded U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, which specializes in maritime interdiction missions, including military combat operations, alien migration interdiction, and counterterrorism.

USS Spruance fires its MK45 5-inch gun during a live-fire exercise. Photo by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan McLearnon

"USS Spruance's deployment as part of U.S. Northern Command's southern border mission brings additional capability and expands the geography of unique military capabilities working with the Department of Homeland Security," Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, NORTHCOM commander, said in a statement.

"With Spruance off the West Coast and USS Gravely in the Gulf of America, our maritime presence contributes to the all-domain, coordinated DOD response to the presidential executive order and demonstrates our resolve to achieve operational control of the border," added Guillot.

'It is essential that the Armed Forces staunchly continue to participate in the defense of our territorial integrity and sovereignty.'

The military noted in its statement that the Spruance's presence brings maritime capabilities "in response to presidential executive orders and a national emergency declaration and clarification of the military's role in protecting the territorial integrity of the United States."

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump directed his future Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to assign NORTHCOM the mission of sealing America's borders and maintaining its territorial integrity "by repelling forms of invasion including unlawful mass migration, narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and trafficking, and other criminal activities."

Trump noted that the American military has long worked to secure "our borders against threats of invasion, against unlawful forays by foreign nationals into the United States, and against other transnational criminal activities that violate our laws and threaten the peace, harmony, and tranquility of the Nation."

"Threats against our Nation's sovereignty continue today, and it is essential that the Armed Forces staunchly continue to participate in the defense of our territorial integrity and sovereignty," continued Trump. "A National Emergency currently exists along the southern border of the United States. Unchecked unlawful mass migration and the unimpeded flow of opiates across our borders continue to endanger the safety and security of the American people and encourage further lawlessness."

In recent weeks and months, the Coast Guard has encountered numerous migrant boats off the coast of southern California as well as drug-runners. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche alone interdicted 11 separate suspected drug-smuggling vessels from December through February, offloading 37,256 pounds of cocaine.

Narcos and potential invaders might now think twice about testing the waters off the West Coast with the USS Spruance patrolling the area.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

'Hugely successful': Trump triumphs at NATO summit, winning over allies after years of resistance

Trump to take on NATO summit: Will allies step up or stall?

Defense spending

Peace through strength

Judge accused of helping illegal alien evade ICE says she didn't think 'avoid ICE' meant anything illegal

America Needs Stronger Missile Defenses Against Expanding Enemy Arsenals

If Senators Showed Up To Work, They Could Easily Confirm Fighter Pilot Matthew Lohmeier

Cheapskate Canada 'threatens' NORAD? Trump dangles 51st-state solution

East Alaska?

Straight man

Plane speaking

Jet set

Trump Admin Accelerates Mining Projects as China Curbs Critical Mineral Exports

There’s Absolutely Nothing But Politics To The Time-Wasting Signal Chat Hullabaloo

Navy sends second warship to US southern border to 'restore territorial integrity'

9 reasons we (still) love America — and you should too

Our founders signed their death warrant

One declaration sparked a nation. The other sparks confusion.

Hot dogs and propane cost less under Trump, but one industry says tariffs will ruin Fourth of July prices

Defense spending

Peace through strength

East Alaska?

Straight man

Plane speaking

Jet set

We’ll keep you informed with top stories for conservatives who want to become informed decision makers.