"Daddy's Home": White House Joins The "Trump Whisperer" With Usher's Help

The White House on Thursday tapped into the social media storm surrounding US President Donald Trump's appearance at the NATO summit, releasing a video of the president's arrival set to the 2010 R&B single "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" by Usher. The soundtrack choice marked an unusually theatrical moment from the administration, coming hours after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte referred to Trump as "Daddy" at the summit. 

The video, posted to the official White House account on X (formerly Twitter), was captioned: "Daddy's home... Hey, hey, hey, Daddy. President Donald J Trump attended the NATO Summit in The Hague, Netherlands."

🎶 Daddy's home… Hey, hey, hey, Daddy.

President Donald J. Trump attended the NATO Summit in The Hague, Netherlands. pic.twitter.com/asJb5FD2Ii

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 26, 2025

The moniker emerged during a light exchange between Trump and Rutte at a closed-door pre-summit meeting in The Hague. The two leaders were discussing the situation between Iran and Israel, with Trump repeating his longstanding analogy likening their hostilities to a schoolyard fight.

"They've had a big fight, like two kids in a schoolyard," Trump said. "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."

Rutte responded with a remark that has since made global headlines: "And then Daddy has to sometimes use strong language."

The phrase was seen as a nod to Trump's expletive-laden comments earlier in the week, during which he expressed frustration over the breakdown of an Iran-Israel ceasefire. Speaking to reporters at the White House prior to his departure, Trump had said: "They've been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*ck they're doing, do you understand that?"

Trump laughed off Rutte's "Daddy" comment, remarking: "Everyone said, 'Well, you have to use a certain word.'"

Rutte, who became NATO's Secretary General earlier this year, has been widely credited with employing a careful strategy to manage the notoriously unpredictable US president. Often referred to as the "Trump Whisperer" in European diplomatic circles, Rutte took steps to ensure Trump's comfort during his two-day visit to the Netherlands.

These included shortening the summit schedule, arranging for Trump to stay overnight at Huis ten Bosch, the royal palace near The Hague-and providing what Trump later described as a "royal treatment."

Asked whether calling Trump "Daddy" was undignified for a NATO chief, Rutte dismissed the suggestion. "No, I don't think so," he told reporters. "I think it's a bit of a question of taste."