Trump Exempts US From NATO 5% Defense Spending Target

President Donald Trump stated that the United States should not be required to raise its defense spending to 5% of GDP, a target being considered by NATO members, while insisting that other NATO countries should meet this goal. The U.S. currently spends approximately 3.4% of its GDP on defense, and Trump emphasized that the U.S. has long supported NATO and has shouldered a disproportionate share of its costs. His comments come ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, where leaders from 32 member states will discuss spending commitments, with many countries planning to increase their defense budgets to around 3.5% by 2030. Only Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have committed to the 5% target so far, while countries like Spain have openly rejected it. Trump's position contrasts with some Republican lawmakers who advocate for increasing U.S. defense spending to 5%, which would require a significantly larger Pentagon budget. The ongoing debate highlights differing perspectives within NATO on balancing necessary defense investments with realistic fiscal commitments.