NATO Allies Agree to Double Defense Spending Amid Trump Pledge

At the 2025 NATO summit in the Netherlands, President Donald Trump experienced a remarkable shift in relations with European allies, who expressed strong appreciation for his leadership and his long-standing demands for increased defense spending. Under Trump's influence, NATO members agreed to raise their defense spending targets substantially, with a new commitment to allocate 5% of GDP to defense over the next decade, a significant increase from the previous 2%, with 3.5% dedicated to core military needs. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte credited Trump for decisively pushing reluctant European allies to meet these higher spending commitments, marking a major change from earlier years when many allies resented Trump's criticism and demands. Trump celebrated this outcome as a major victory, praising the renewed passion of NATO members for their collective defense and signaling a more cooperative approach than in his previous term. While the summit centered on strengthening transatlantic security and boosting defense budgets, NATO stopped short of labeling Russia an immediate threat, instead referring to it as a long-term challenge, and no new direct military measures against Moscow were announced. Trump also defended his recent military strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites, dismissing media skepticism and emphasizing the success of his actions, all while enjoying unusually warm receptions from NATO leaders during the summit.