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Trump Considers Tying NATO Support to Defense Spending Levels

The potential policy shift could challenge NATO's foundational principle of collective defense under Article 5.

U.S. President Donald Trump hosts French President Emmanuel Macron as they answer questions from journalists in the Oval Office at the White House on February 24, 2025, in Washington, DC.
Member nation flags fly outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headquarters in Brussels.

Overview

  • President Donald Trump is reportedly exploring changes to U.S. NATO commitments, potentially linking military support to member nations' defense spending.
  • The proposed change could mean the U.S. would not defend NATO allies that fail to meet the 2% GDP defense spending target.
  • Trump has also suggested increasing the defense spending threshold for NATO members from 2% to 5% of their GDP.
  • The administration is considering prioritizing military exercises and troop deployments for countries that meet the spending requirements.
  • European ambassadors have expressed concerns about the potential policy shift, which could undermine NATO's core principle of collective defense.