Germany will meet its 2% pledge for the first time since the Cold War
A majority of NATO members are expected to meet their spending targets this year as they consider the possibility of former President Trump winning re-election in November.
On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that 18 out of the alliance’s 31 members are on course to fulfill their commitments of allocating 2% of their GDP to NATO. European states are projected to contribute $380 billion this year, with Germany set to meet its 2% pledge for the first time since the Cold War.
These numbers represent a significant increase compared to 2023 when only 11 NATO allies managed to meet their 2% spending pledge.
“At a press conference on Wednesday, Stoltenberg stated, ‘That is another record number and a six-fold increase from 2014 when only three allies met the target.'”
The shift occurred after Trump criticized NATO allies strongly at a campaign rally last week, even suggesting that the U.S. might not defend NATO allies if they don’t meet their full financial commitments.
In response, Stoltenberg urged Trump on Wednesday not to disrupt the alliance.
“We should ensure there’s no room for error or misinterpretation in Moscow regarding our readiness, commitment, and determination to defend allies,” he stated.
Over the weekend, Trump recounted a conversation he had with the leader “of a large country,” who asked him if their country didn’t raise its defense contribution to NATO and were attacked by Russia, whether the U.S. would still protect them.
“NATO was broken until I intervened,” Trump remarked. “I told them, ‘Everyone has to pay.’ They asked, ‘If we don’t pay, will you still protect us?’ I replied, ‘Absolutely not.’ They were astonished by the response.”
The White House, under President Biden, swiftly criticized the statement, denouncing it as “unhinged.” White House spokesman Andrew Bates reiterated the administration’s narrative of Biden’s presidency restoring normalcy after Trump’s tenure.
“Biden has strengthened our alliances and bolstered our global standing because he understands that a president’s foremost duty is to ensure the safety of the American people and uphold the values that unite us,” Bates stated. “Thanks to Biden’s seasoned leadership, NATO is now at its largest and most robust state. Advocating for attacks on our closest allies by brutal regimes is alarming and disconnected from reality – it puts American national security, global stability, and our domestic economy at risk.”