Trump's call for increased NATO spending provokes German debate
(MENAFN) US President-elect Donald Trump's demand that NATO members raise their defense spending from the current 2 percent target to 5 percent has sparked considerable debate in Germany, Euronews reported on Wednesday.
German officials have criticized the proposed figure as excessively high.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, former chair of the FDP’s defense committee, argued that trump should not "make up a number out of thin air," emphasizing that discussions on defense spending are serious and should not resemble a “bazaar.”
Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Germany's main opposition party, stated that a specific target was "irrelevant." Instead, he suggested that Germany should focus on "doing what is necessary to defend" itself, rather than setting rigid spending goals.
Marcus Faber, chair of the defense committee of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), suggested that a 3 percent defense spending target would be more reasonable than 5 percent. However, he noted that the decision must be made in agreement with the other 31 NATO member states.
MENAFN09012025000045016755ID1109072936
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.