NATO Allies Hesitant on U.S. 5% Defense Spending Demands
At a NATO meeting in Brussels, European allies and Canada showed readiness to boost defense spending but remained cautious about adopting the U.S. 5% GDP target amid concerns over rising defense costs and differing priorities.
Published on April 5, 2025
In early April 2025, during a NATO meeting in Brussels, European allies and Canada expressed willingness to raise their defense budgets while hesitating to adopt U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for a 5% GDP target. Although military spending has surged since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, about one-third of NATO members still do not meet the current 2% benchmark. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the higher target by emphasizing the need for enhanced military capabilities, even as French officials and other Europeans signaled a preference for a more modest increase to 3%-3.5%, with investment directed toward European defense companies.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and other leaders stressed that effective collaboration and efficient spending are more important than fixed numerical targets. The discussions come amid broader concerns about President Trump’s warming ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and controversial tariff policies. A new NATO spending target is expected to be announced at the June summit, as the alliance navigates the evolving dynamics of transatlantic security and defense commitments.