Trump plans on skipping NATO summit
(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump may skip the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague unless European members agree to significantly increase their defense spending, according to Germany’s Der Spiegel. US Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, has reportedly pushed for European nations to allocate 5% of their GDP to defense, much higher than NATO’s current target of 2%. Whitaker warned that if this new spending goal is not met, Trump could opt not to attend the summit scheduled for late June.
The article notes that in a phone call with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth emphasized the need for European allies to take primary responsibility for their own defense and to make real strides in increasing military spending. Hegseth has repeatedly criticized the current arrangement, asserting that the US can no longer be the sole guarantor of European security, and that it is time for Europe to step up and fund its military.
Trump has previously expressed frustration over the lack of financial contributions from European countries, stating that the US bears the financial burden for European security, while not receiving adequate compensation. He has also mentioned the possibility of reducing the 84,000 US troops stationed in Europe.
As of 2024, 23 of NATO’s 32 member countries have met the 2% defense spending target set in 2014. The US remains NATO’s largest contributor, spending about 3.5% of its GDP on defense.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
