Trump calls on NATO countries to increase military spending, Europe is worried

On January 7 local time, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump again urged NATO member countries to increase military spending, allocating at least 5% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to military expenditures, which is more than double the current 2%. British media reported that this has raised concerns among America's European allies.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump: I believe NATO member countries should allocate 5% of GDP to military spending, not 2%.

During his previous term, Trump repeatedly criticized NATO member countries for their military spending being "below standard" and threatened to withdraw the U.S. from NATO. At the press conference on the 7th, Trump claimed that he saved NATO.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump: No one understands NATO better than I do. A few years ago, when I first became president, I didn't know much about NATO, but I still got it right. I said, "If you don't pay, we won't protect you." Once I said that, they all started paying up. In a real sense, I saved NATO, while NATO was "taking advantage of us."

On the 8th, British Sky News reported that Trump's proposed target will undoubtedly put European governments into crisis mode, especially the UK. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not even set a specific timetable to increase military spending from 2% to 2.5%.

On December 20 last year, the Financial Times cited informed sources stating that Trump's foreign policy advisors had communicated Trump's intention to increase military spending to 5% to European officials. Reports indicated that NATO member countries have begun discussions to raise the military spending target to 3% of GDP at the NATO leaders' summit in June this year, but even 3% has caused concern among many countries, which need to make difficult fiscal decisions.

NATO member countries committed in 2014 to raise their military spending to 2% of GDP within ten years, but European members have long been reluctant to fulfill this obligation. According to NATO's latest assessment, among the 32 NATO member countries, it is expected that 23 countries will reach 2% of GDP in military spending by 2024, including a number of European countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Belgium, which have yet to meet the target Risk Warning and Disclaimer

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