THE HAGUE, Netherlands (BN24) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday celebrated what he called a “big win” for NATO and Western civilization after alliance leaders pledged to dramatically boost defense spending, agreeing to a new target of 5% of GDP by 2035. The sweeping commitment, finalized at a landmark summit in The Hague, follows sustained pressure from Trump, who had long criticized member states for what he viewed as inadequate contributions.
“This is a great victory for everybody. We’ll be equalized shortly — and that’s the way it has to be,” Trump said at a post-summit news conference, calling the outcome a “big success” and the alliance “stronger, fairer, and more lethal.”
The new NATO declaration commits members to allocate at least 3.5% of their GDP to core defense expenditures, with up to an additional 1.5% to cover broader national security infrastructure investments. The revised goal more than doubles the current benchmark of 2%, first agreed upon in 2014.
While most leaders embraced the shift as a response to evolving global threats, Spain stood out in opposition. President Trump publicly criticized Spain for resisting the new spending requirement, calling Madrid’s stance “terrible” and warning of repercussions in ongoing trade talks.
“They’re not making the same effort as the others — and that’s going to be a problem for them,” Trump said, signaling potential punitive trade measures. His comments followed a tense group photo where Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez appeared visibly isolated.
Sánchez defended his position, stating Spain was already making an “enormous effort” to reach 2.1% of GDP and calling the 5% goal “misguided.” Nevertheless, he signed the final communiqué, asserting it allowed “flexibility” for individual nations to meet the commitments in line with national capabilities.
The summit, described by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte as historic, came amid heightened tensions with Russia and ongoing instability in the Middle East. Leaders reaffirmed NATO’s foundational Article 5, which guarantees mutual defense, though notably the final declaration stopped short of directly condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — a shift from previous statements.
“No one should doubt our capacity or determination should our security be challenged,” Rutte said. “We’re building a stronger alliance at a dangerous moment.”
The gathering marked Trump’s first NATO summit since 2019. While he initially raised eyebrows with comments questioning the alliance’s security guarantees, he later reaffirmed his support: “I stand with Article 5. That’s why I’m here.”
The summit also offered a moment of levity. During a discussion of the fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel — a truce Trump helped broker — the president likened the warring nations to “two kids in a schoolyard.” Rutte quipped in response, “And then daddy has to sometimes use strong language,” referencing Trump’s on-camera expletive-laced frustration over ceasefire instability.
In bilateral talks on the sidelines, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. While expressing continued support for Kyiv, Trump acknowledged the difficulties of securing a lasting peace with Russia. “It’s more difficult than I thought,” he said, hinting at further military assistance and suggesting he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to “help us on Russia, not Iran.”
NATO’s final communiqué emphasized Ukraine’s central role in European security, stating that contributions to Ukraine’s defense — including direct military aid and support for its defense industry — would count toward member states’ defense spending.
The commitment also drew pushback from French President Emmanuel Macron, who challenged Trump’s ongoing trade disputes with the European Union. “We can’t call for more defense spending among allies and then wage a trade war against one another — it makes no sense,” Macron said.
Despite mixed responses, many leaders praised the summit’s unity. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer declared NATO “more relevant than ever,” saying, “We’re bigger, stronger, and more united — and that sends a powerful message to our adversaries.”
BBC
