He also repeated his call for members of the alliance to raise defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP), well above NATO’s current 2% target, Reuters reported.
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Marcin Matuszewski on European leaders' appeals for a boost in defence spending.
Washington currently contributes 15.8% of NATO’s roughly $3.5 billion annual budget—tied with Germany for the largest share. The U.S. defense budget alone was $816.7 billion in 2023, accounting for more than half of all NATO defense spending combined.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday the United States remained committed to the alliance and emphasized the importance of “capable defense allies and real burden-sharing,” according to the State Department.
Analysts say Trump’s proposed 5% goal is politically and economically unrealistic for most allies, who are still struggling to meet the 2% threshold set a decade ago. Officials expect a higher target—possibly around 3% of GDP—to be discussed at a June NATO summit in The Hague, driven partly by concerns over Russia’s aggression. Eight NATO members currently do not meet the existing 2% target.
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Source: Reuters, PAP