NATO director claims members will bow to Trump’s monetary requests
Date
11/10/2024 7:11:00 AM
(MENAFN) NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has agreed with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's stance that NATO members must increase their defense spending beyond the current 2% of GDP threshold, acknowledging that the alliance will aim to exceed this target. Speaking ahead of the European Political Community summit in Budapest, Rutte stated, “We will have to spend more... It will be much more than the 2%, I’m absolutely clear about that.”
Trump, who won the U.S. presidential election by defeating Vice President Kamala Harris, has long criticized NATO members for not meeting defense spending goals, often warning that the U.S. might not defend countries that fall short. When the 2% target was set in 2014, only three NATO members met the requirement; today, 23 out of 31 member states comply. Trump had previously pushed for an even higher target of 4%, a goal met only by Poland.
Rutte plans to engage with Trump on the issue, stressing the importance of NATO cooperation in countering threats from Russia, Iran, and North Korea. He expressed his intention to discuss how the alliance can work together to confront these challenges more effectively.
Despite ongoing speculation that Trump might reduce U.S. commitment to NATO if reelected, he has claimed that his tough stance on European defense spending ultimately strengthened the alliance by forcing members to contribute more equitably.
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