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REPLAY - Hegseth praises US attack on Iran but offers few details on the strikes' impact

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How Trump finally learned to love NATO -- for now

France 24

4 hours ago

France 24

How Trump finally learned to love NATO -- for now

Trump reveled in gushing praise from leaders in The Hague -- including being called "daddy" by alliance chief Mark Rutte -- and a pledge to boost defense spending as he had demanded. But it went further than just lapping up flattery. Trump also spoke of what sounded like an almost religious conversion to NATO, after years of bashing other members as freeloaders and threatening to leave. "I came here because it was something I'm supposed to be doing, but I left here a little bit differently," Trump said at his closing press conference on Wednesday. "I watched the heads of these countries get up, and the love and the passion that they showed for their country was unbelievable. I've never seen quite anything like it. "It was really moving to see it." A day after returning to the White House, Trump still sounded uncharacteristically touchy-feely about his time with his 31 NATO counterparts. "A wonderful day with incredible and caring Leaders," he posted on his Truth Social platform on Thursday. Turnaround It was a remarkable turnaround from the US president's first term. Trump repeatedly berated allies as not paying up and threatened to pull the United States out of NATO as part of his wider disdain for international institutions and alliances. At his first summit in 2017 in Brussels, Trump memorably shoved aside Montenegro's prime minister Dusko Markovic as he made his way to the front of the stage. A year later Trump publicly lambasted Germany and privately talked about wanting to quit. But this time NATO leaders had carefully choreographed the trip. They massaged the numbers to give Trump the defense spending deal he craved. And while Trump headed to the summit dropping F-bombs in frustration at a shaky Iran-Israel ceasefire, NATO leaders love-bombed him from the moment he arrived. The Netherlands put him up overnight in the Dutch king's royal palace and gave him a royal dinner and breakfast -- "beautiful," according to Trump -- while NATO organizers kept the summit deliberately short. Frederick Kempe, the chief executive officer of the Atlantic Council, said Trump had "waxed poetic" about NATO in a way he had never done before. "Trump -- the vilifier of European deadbeats on defense and crusader against allies for what he sees as unfair trade practices -- sounded like an altered man," he said in a commentary. 'Daddy's Home' The question now is what it means for NATO when the alliance's priorities end up guided by one man. The final summit statement's language on Russia's invasion of Ukraine was watered down from previous years. It also made no mention of Ukraine's push to join NATO. Reporters were not allowed into Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The move was partly because of their Oval Office bust-up in February, but it also deprived Zelensky of the set-piece he had craved. "The biggest loser was Ukraine," said Ed Arnold of the Royal United Services Insitute in London. Trump also hinted at what lies in store for any backsliders on the defense spending pledge, threatening to make Spain "pay" on trade over its resistance to commit to the new target. As with any relationship, the pressure will now be on NATO to keep up the first flush of love over the three summits that are due to take place over the rest of Trump's second term. "The real worry is that NATO will be unable to keep up the hype," said Arnold. For now, though, Trump and his administration seem to be content. As he arrived back in Washington, the White House posted a video of summit highlights, with the caption: "Daddy's Home." © 2025 AFP

Iran-Israel: 10 key moments to understand the 12-day conflict

LeMonde

4 hours ago

LeMonde

Iran-Israel: 10 key moments to understand the 12-day conflict

The sixth round of negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program was scheduled for Sunday, June 15. Only three days earlier, United States President Donald Trump, who presented himself as a "peacemaker," had called for diplomacy to be prioritized over any military action against Iran. Israel had advocated for this approach for years, describing Iran's nuclear program as an "existential threat." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ultimately took action during the night between June 12 and 13, striking Iran and further destabilizing the Middle East. After dealing a severe blow to the so-called "axis of resistance" – led by Hezbollah and the Houthi movement – since October 7, Israel fought Iran for 12 days. While the exact extent of the damage to the Islamic Republic's nuclear sites and military capabilities is still unclear, this war was unprecedented in its duration, intensity and the US's direct intervention in support of its Israeli ally. After 1,054 deaths in Iran, according to a non-governmental organization, and 28 in Israel, according to Israeli authorities, a ceasefire was declared on June 24. To provide a clearer picture, Le Monde takes a look back at 10 key moments of the conflict. Israel launches massive attack on Iran Friday, June 13, at dawn. "We are at a decisive moment in Israel's history." Two hours after the first explosions were heard in Tehran, Netanyahu addressed the Israeli people. Confronted with the "existential threat" of the Iranian regime, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion. It had three objectives: to damage Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missile factories and Iranian military capabilities.

France 24

6 hours ago

France 24