Trump leaves open the possibility of future US spending on NATO

(CLO) US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was unsure whether the US should spend anything on NATO.

Speaking to reporters after signing an executive order at the White House, Mr. Trump reiterated the requirement that NATO member countries increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, much higher than the current commitment of 2%. Currently, no NATO country, including the United States, has reached this spending level.

NATO symbol. Photo: CC

"I'm not sure how much we should spend, but we're certainly helping them," Mr. Trump said. "We're protecting them, but they're not protecting us." Mr. Trump also made a similar statement in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, earlier.

The US currently contributes 15.8% of NATO's annual budget, or about $3.5 billion, the highest level on par with Germany, according to the alliance's 2024 figures. However, the US's indirect contribution, which includes military spending and force deployments, is much larger and is not included in NATO's official budget.

In 2023, the US defense budget will reach $816.7 billion, accounting for more than half of the total military spending of the entire NATO bloc.

Despite Trump’s tough rhetoric, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday, reaffirming the US commitment to the alliance. The two sides also discussed enhancing defense capabilities and sharing the burden more equitably, according to a statement from the US State Department .

NATO officials and analysts say Mr Trump's proposal to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP is unlikely to be implemented, but NATO may consider raising the spending target to a higher level than the current one.

Some analysts have suggested the new contribution could be set at around 3% of GDP, rather than the current 2%. However, increasing spending even to this level would be a major challenge for many member states, with eight countries still yet to reach the 2% target despite their pledges a decade ago.

Talks about increasing NATO defense spending are fueled by concerns about Russia, particularly in the wake of the conflict in Ukraine.

Cao Phong (according to NPR, CNN, Time)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ong-trump-bo-ngo-kha-nang-chi-tieu-cua-my-cho-nato-trong-tuong-lai-post331799.html