NATO Leaders Secure US Commitment, Agree 5% GDP Defense Target

At the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague, leaders employed a strategy of flattery and accommodation to secure U.S. President Donald Trump's commitment to the alliance, successfully averting a potential crisis. NATO members agreed to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, meeting a key Trump demand, while Trump reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to NATO's mutual defense pact, a significant shift from his previous threats to withdraw. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte led the charm offensive, including publicly praising Trump and using playful language to appeal to the president's sensibilities, which helped ease tensions despite avoiding contentious issues like the war in Ukraine, Russia strategy, and potential U.S. troop withdrawals from Europe. Although the summit concluded on a positive note with Trump expressing confidence in NATO's unity, some leaders and analysts warned that difficult topics remain unresolved, and the alliance's future challenges under Trump's "America First" policy persist. Spain was notably singled out by Trump for resisting the new defense spending target, highlighting ongoing internal divisions. Overall, NATO's approach bought time and maintained alliance cohesion for now, but underlying strategic concerns continue to loom.