Arguably few things better demonstrate NATO's bending over backward to please President Donald Trump than the military alliance's secretary-general calling him "Daddy" in defending his use of an expletive to admonish Israel and Iran over their ceasefire deal.

The comment is coming under scrutiny for betraying the real dynamics at play in Europe: How to placate a president who has openly stated his opposition to multilateral organizations and unabashedly referred to Europe as a “foe”?