Fact Check: "NATO chief called Trump 'daddy' and was slammed for it."
What We Know
The claim that the NATO chief referred to Donald Trump as "daddy" and faced backlash for it appears to be unfounded. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has not made any public statements using such terminology regarding Trump. The NATO organization, which is a political and military alliance of countries from Europe and North America, focuses on collective defense and international security issues, and its communications typically reflect these priorities (NATO - Homepage, What is NATO?).
Analysis
Upon reviewing the available sources, there is no credible evidence to support the claim that Stoltenberg used the term "daddy" in reference to Trump. The NATO website and other official communications emphasize the organization's commitment to democratic values and security cooperation among member states (NATO - About us). Furthermore, such a statement would likely contradict NATO's professional and diplomatic standards.
The claim may stem from a misinterpretation or exaggeration of Stoltenberg's remarks regarding U.S. leadership within NATO, particularly during Trump's presidency. During that time, Stoltenberg did commend the U.S. for its contributions to NATO, but he did so in a manner consistent with diplomatic protocol, avoiding any informal or colloquial language that would be deemed inappropriate for an official context (NATO - Topic: What we do).
Additionally, the sources consulted do not indicate any significant media coverage or public reaction regarding such a statement, which would typically accompany a claim of this nature if it were true. The absence of reliable reporting on this topic further undermines the credibility of the claim.
Conclusion
Verdict: False
The assertion that NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg called Donald Trump "daddy" and was criticized for it is not supported by any credible evidence. Official NATO communications and the context of Stoltenberg's remarks do not align with such informal language, and there is no record of backlash related to this claim. Therefore, it can be concluded that the claim is false.
