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5d ago

NATO Ministers Debate Spending Hike as U.S. Pushes for 5% Target

U.S. envoy Matthew Whitaker reiterates the Trump administration's demand for a 5% GDP defense spending commitment, while NATO leader Mark Rutte proposes a compromise ahead of June's summit.

OPSHOT - US President Donald Trump sits with his arms crossed during a roundtable discussion on the Safe Reopening of Americas Schools during the coronavirus pandemic, in the East Room of the White House on July 7, 2020, in Washington, DC. (Photo by JIM WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, left, shakes hands with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a media conferenc6 at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
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Overview

  • U.S. envoy Matthew Whitaker pressed NATO allies at the Antalya meeting to commit to spending 5% of GDP on defense, a target no member, including the U.S., currently meets.
  • NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte proposed a compromise plan of 3.5% direct military spending and 1.5% broader security-related investments by 2032.
  • The proposed compromise aims to balance U.S. demands with European allies’ fiscal constraints and strategic priorities, including cybersecurity and infrastructure.
  • The final decision on a new spending goal is expected at the NATO summit in The Hague on June 25, 2025, as ministers negotiate definitions and timelines.
  • President Trump has warned that the U.S. may reconsider its defense commitments to under-spending allies, adding urgency to the negotiations.