Donald Trump has urged NATO member countries to significantly boost their defense spending to 5% of their GDP, a sharp increase from the alliance’s current minimum target of 2%. The former U.S. president emphasized his long-standing critique that NATO allies are not contributing enough to shared defense efforts, often at the expense of U.S. taxpayers.
“They can all afford it, but they should be at five percent, not two percent,” Trump said during a press conference on Tuesday. “Europe is in for just a tiny fraction of the money we’re putting in. We have an ocean between us, yet we’re shouldering billions more. Why?”
NATO currently requires its 32 member states to allocate a minimum of 2% of their GDP to defense spending. This benchmark has gained urgency with Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has underscored the need for stronger military preparedness and greater investment in the alliance’s eastern flank.
Trump’s comments come amid broader calls for increased defense spending within NATO. Mark Rutte, a senior NATO leader, recently echoed similar concerns, suggesting that the 2% target is insufficient.
“We are going to need a lot more than two percent,” Rutte stated last month. He also warned European nations of the looming threat of future conflict with Russia, urging them to “turbocharge” their defense budgets.
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Trump has consistently expressed skepticism about NATO, calling it a financial burden for the United States. He has even hinted at the possibility of withdrawing from the alliance if member countries fail to step up their contributions.
On Tuesday, Trump revisited the ongoing war in Ukraine, attributing some blame to President Joe Biden’s stance on Kyiv’s NATO membership aspirations. “Somewhere along the line, Biden said Ukraine should be able to join NATO. Well, Russia doesn’t like the idea of someone being right on their doorstep, and I understand that,” Trump remarked.
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NATO allies has initially agreed to support Ukraine’s eventual membership back in 2008, during the presidency of George W. Bush. More recently, the U.S. and Germany have expressed reservations about fast-tracking Kyiv’s membership, fearing it could escalate tensions with Russia.
Trump reiterated his belief that the conflict in Ukraine could have been avoided altogether. “This war should have never started,” he said, adding that if he were still president, the situation would have been resolved diplomatically.
He has vowed to pursue a swift end to the war if re-elected, sparking concerns about the future of U.S. military aid to Ukraine. While Trump’s approach to NATO and international conflicts has often been polarizing, his latest comments reignite a broader debate about burden-sharing within the alliance and the role of the U.S. in global security.
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