NATO Rejects Trump's 5% Defense Spending Proposal, Eyes New Target

President-elect Trump’s call for a sharp increase in defense spending to 5% of GDP is dismissed by NATO, but the alliance is expected to adopt a higher goal than its current 2% benchmark.

• NATO officials and analysts confirm that the alliance will not adopt President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed 5% GDP defense spending target, deeming it politically and economically unfeasible.
• The alliance is expected to agree on a new defense spending target, likely around 3% of GDP, at its upcoming summit in The Hague this June.
• Currently, only a few NATO members, including Poland, Estonia, and Latvia, spend more than 3% of GDP on defense, while eight members, such as Italy, fall short of the existing 2% goal.
• Trump’s push for increased spending reflects his longstanding criticism of NATO allies for not contributing enough and his previous threats to withdraw U.S. support for underperforming members.
• Analysts note that while European countries have already increased defense budgets in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, achieving a 3% target would require significant financial and political adjustments over the coming years.

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