According to information to NBC considering Donald Trump To stop defending NATO countries that do not spend enough on their defense and that do not reach his requirements for defense spending. This proposal is a violation of NATO’s basic principles and Article 5, which means that an attack on a Member State should be regarded as an attack on everyone.
During his previous term of office, Trump demanded that all NATO countries spend at least 2 percent of their GDP on defense-a requirement that most countries have not met.
Now, Trump is considering setting even higher demands, with figures moving towards 5 percent, which is far more than most of the member states are prepared to contribute.
Of NATO’s 32 member states, only nine reach the target of 2 percent of GDP for defense. The countries that do not meet the requirement are Spain, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Belgium, Canada, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands and Croatia.
Trump has previously been critical of NATO and called the Alliance “outdated”. During the election campaign in 2024, he accused some allies of not contributing enough, and in a conversation with a NATO ally he also said that he would encourage Russia to act freely against countries that do not reach the target of 2 percent.
He has also expressed doubt about NATO’s desire to protect the United States during a potential attack, despite Article 5, which states that an attack on a Member State should be regarded as an attack on everyone.