Fox News host Jesse Watters stirred debate on Monday, October 27, 2025, when he stated on his evening broadcast that the public is referring to President Donald Trump as “daddy.” This nickname has faced criticism and has been likened to those used in authoritarian regimes.
“We’ve got the Europeans to pony up on their NATO dues and everybody’s calling Trump ‘daddy,'” Watters remarked during the broadcast. His comment was made during discussions about NATO defense spending commitments from European allies.
The term has seen increased use among Trump’s dedicated supporters, appearing at rallies, on social media, and on merchandise. Watters regularly uses the nickname when talking about politicians and has previously commented on Trump’s “dad strength.”
Far-right commentator Tucker Carlson contributed to the term’s popularity during an October 2024 rally in Duluth, Georgia. In his speech, Carlson spoke about Trump’s potential behavior if re-elected, mentioning that Trump would be angry and suggested Trump would give opponents “a vigorous spanking.” This resulted in crowd chants of “Daddy’s home” as Trump appeared on stage.
The 79-year-old president has welcomed the nickname. At a NATO summit in June 2025 at The Hague, Netherlands, Secretary General Mark Rutte humorously noted that Trump sometimes uses strong language to ensure alliance members meet their commitments. Trump later explained to reporters that Rutte used the term affectionately, commenting that the NATO leader referred to him as “daddy.”
The White House later shared a video from the summit set to Usher’s song “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home),” which quickly gained traction on social media.
Critics have voiced concerns about the implications of the nickname, comparing it to fatherly titles used by historical leaders such as Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Kim Il Sung, Mao Zedong, Francisco Franco, Nicolae Ceaușescu, Muammar Gaddafi, Fidel Castro, and Saddam Hussein. They argue that it indicates a developing personality cult within the MAGA movement.
The Washington Post has described the nickname as a blend of admiration, irony, and kink, noting its sexual overtones and ties to dominant roles in the BDSM community. Observers have not overlooked the sexual implications, whether used deliberately or unconsciously by supporters.
Prior to Watters’ comments, The Daily Beast received an email from a reader defending Trump’s interior design choices for the East Wing ballroom renovations. The email, in all capital letters, called the president “DADDY” and accused the outlet of Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Social media reacted strongly to Watters’ remarks. One user questioned how often “Daddy Trump” can be said before it stops being journalism and starts requiring therapy. Another suggested Watters should explore what Europeans mean by the term, implying it may have negative connotations.
A Twitter user commented on Watters’ fixation with Trump as a father figure, calling the Fox News host strange and referencing Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz’s description of MAGA supporters as weird. Several commenters described Watters’ use of the nickname as inappropriate and fetishistic.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has mocked Watters for using the term. In August 2025, Newsom’s press office released a video compilation of Watters saying “daddy,” with a caption suggesting Watters’ interest was unwelcome. Newsom later addressed Watters directly, urging him to stop using the nickname and calling it unsettling.
Watters has claimed that Democrats need to present a “daddy” candidate for the 2028 presidential race and expressed enthusiasm for Trump enforcing mass deportations in a fatherly role. His focus on this nickname has become a recurring theme in his broadcasts.
The controversy arises as Trump continues his second term following the 2024 election. The president has made NATO defense spending a key part of his foreign policy, pressing European allies to meet their commitments to spend at least 2% of GDP on national defense by 2024, a pledge made by all 28 member countries in 2014.
Despite the criticism, neither Watters nor Fox News has issued a statement addressing the concerns over the nickname or its potential authoritarian implications. The term appears to be firmly entrenched within parts of Trump’s support base, regardless of historical parallels or psychological concerns.
