In his first public remarks at the military alliance’s annual summit, Donald Trump expressed his support for NATO countries that are increasing their defense spending to 5%. Speaking at a preliminary press conference in The Hague, Trump emphasized the United States' commitment to the alliance and its members. He noted that the spending increase would significantly enhance NATO's strength.
During the press conference, Trump also addressed recent reports regarding the destruction of Iran's nuclear sites, categorically rejecting claims that these sites were not damaged in U.S. bombing campaigns. His assertions came amidst a backdrop of praise from NATO chief Mark Rutte, who referred to Trump as “the daddy” of the alliance.
As leaders of all 32 NATO countries prepared to meet for a morning plenary session, Trump shared his optimism about the spending increase. “We’re with them all the way. They have very big things to announce today,” he stated. He highlighted his long-standing request for member nations to raise their defense spending from the previous target of 2% of GDP to the new goal of 5% by 2035.
Under the new defense spending plan, NATO members will allocate 5% of their GDP to defense by 2035, with 3.5% earmarked for core military spending. The remainder will cover critical areas such as infrastructure, intelligence, and cybersecurity. Trump's remarks signal a positive shift for the alliance, which he has previously criticized for relying heavily on U.S. military support while underfunding their own defense budgets.
To maintain the positive atmosphere, Rutte acknowledged Trump’s influence on the new spending commitments. “I want to state that without President Trump this would not have happened,” he remarked, hinting at an upcoming announcement that would create a “big splash.” He clarified that the new targets were focused on ensuring that Europe and Canada contribute more to NATO’s defense spending, rather than increasing the financial burden on U.S. taxpayers.
Trump also took the opportunity to criticize his predecessor, Joe Biden, suggesting that the previous administration had made no progress regarding NATO funding. “When Biden was here it just died, it just died, like everything else died,” he commented, reinforcing his position that increased defense spending was vital for NATO's future.
In addition to discussing NATO's funding, Trump received compliments from NATO's secretary general regarding his military strategy in Iran. The secretary general labeled Trump’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites, utilizing 14 bunker-busting bombs weighing 13,000 kg (30,000 lbs) each, as “extremely impressive.” This military action, he noted, signaled to other nations that Trump was a “man of peace” who was willing to deploy the “enormous strength of the US military” when necessary.
Throughout the conversation, Trump expressed frustration at media coverage regarding the damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, specifically targeting CNN and the New York Times for their reporting. Rutte, aiming to steer the discussion back to a positive note, continued to shower praise on Trump for his leadership and the anticipated outcomes of the summit.
