President Trump arrives at the NATO summit in The Hague demanding European allies boost defense spending to 5% of GDP—labeling current contributions as unfair freeloading. Most NATO countries, except Spain, have tentatively agreed to the target, signaling a major shift in burden-sharing.
Senior White House counsel emphasized “Europe is going to pay in a BIG way,” highlighting a promise of “3.5% for hard military and 1.5% for infrastructure and readiness”. Trump clarified that the U.S. itself isn’t expected to meet the same threshold, saying America spends enough already.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, along with Trump, framed the agreement as historic: “You are flying into another big success… Europe is going to pay in a BIG way,” he said. Rutte is advocating a phased rollout by 2032 to allow countries time to adjust.
Spain remains the sole holdout. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the hike to 5% “unreasonable” and incompatible with Spanish welfare priorities. His opposition creates tensions ahead of the summit’s consensus vote; several other nations, including Belgium and Italy, may also struggle.
Trump’s hard line extends beyond figures: he has hinted the U.S. may reconsider its commitment under Article 5 if spending is not fair. Analysts caution that if European states fail to meet targets, alliance credibility could be at risk.
The summit comes amid geopolitical turbulence, including Iran-Israel de-escalation and Russia’s war in Ukraine. Trump views this as leverage: European defense spending increases would free U.S. resources for other priorities.
The outcome of this summit could reshape NATO’s future. Pressure on allies is high, with Trump calling this “another big success” only if defense spending targets stick and enforcement mechanisms follow.
