WASHINGTON − The new head of NATO and President Donald Trump concur with one point: The nations within the European Union ought to contribute additional funds towards their security.
Seated next to Trump In the Oval Office on Thursday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who previously served as Prime Minister of Norway, commended the President for ensuring that NATO member countries increase their contributions toward military assistance.
“If we consider Trump’s stance on this matter, the developments over the past few weeks have been truly remarkable,” Rutte commented regarding recent defense pledges. “European nations are investing an $800 billion package into their defense budgets.”
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Rutte subsequently nodded in agreement as Trump recounted how he insisted that NATO countries contribute their fair share during his initial presidential tenure.
"When I initially attended a NATO meeting for the first time, I observed that very few individuals were contributing financially, and even those who did weren’t covering their equitable portion," Trump stated.
Once he made it evident that the U.S. would not back NATO unless member countries increased their contributions, "funds began flooding in," according to Trump.
Rutte's visit to the White House occurs as tensions with Russia are considering a ceasefire deal approved by Ukraine, three years following it invaded the country .
Now we must use it prudently," Trump stated regarding Europe's defense expenditure, "and we need to end this conflict so that you can return to a much more regular, normal way of life.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has mentioned that he would be willing to step down If Ukraine were admitted into NATO, but Trump’s administration officials such as the Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth has stated that Ukraine will not become part of the military alliance. Russia strongly disagrees with this move, viewing it as an extension of NATO towards the East.
Trump has repeatedly expressed his contention that European countries are taking advantage of the U.S. defense umbrella and should be paying more than double what they currently are required to pay for their military defense.
In 2014, following Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region, member nations of NATO pledged to allocate 2% of their Gross Domestic Product towards defense expenditures. .
The United States allocates 3.4% of its GDP and approximately 16% of NATO's yearly budget. In terms of contributions as a percentage of GDP, Poland leads with 4.1%, closely followed by both Estonia and the U.S., each contributing 3.4%, as reported by the Council on Foreign Relations.
In 2024, for the first time, all non-U.S. NATO allies collectively achieved the 2% spending target on average. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, twenty-three out of thirty-two total member nations will reach or surpass this 2% benchmark, which includes both France and Germany.
"They could all manage it, but they ought to be at 5%, not 2%," stated Trump in January.
Last month, the U.K., which now allocates 2.3% of its gross domestic product for defense, committed to boosting this expenditure to 2.5% by 2027.
During a speech to NATO members in December Rutte stated the pledge of 2%. was not enough.
I assure you, we need far more than just 2%," he stated. "If we don't increase our collective spending now to avoid conflict, we'll end up paying a vastly greater cost later when we have to engage in battle.
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy serves as a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
The article initially appeared on USA TODAY: The impact of Trump on NATO spending is described as 'stunning' by the Secretary General.
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