The Trump administration hopes to hear this week how NATO European member states and Canada are planning to promote defense spending at 5% of GDP, said new US envoy Matthew Whitaker.
Prior to the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Turkey, reporters argued that U.S. Ambassador Matthew Whitaker “5% is our number. We are asking our allies to invest in their defenses as it means that.”
“Undoubtedly, this minister will be different,” Whitaker said, adding, “5% is not just a number, it’s our need for safety. The alliance faces a serious threat.”
He detailed what those threats were.
In 2023, with Russia’s full-scale war with Ukraine entering its second year, NATO leaders agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on the defense budget.
So far, 22 of the 32 member states have done so, with leaders setting new targets at the summit held in The Hague on June 25th.
Chasing questions about whether the US will defend too few allies, Trump argues that NATO members should promise to spend at least 5%, but that requires investment on an unprecedented scale.
NATO leaders at last year’s summit claimed that “Russia continues to be the most important and direct threat to the security of its allies,” but some countries are worried about the connection between President Trump and President Vladimir Putin.
Last week, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoef said NATO chief hopes the leader will “seek for 3.5% stiff military spending by 2032” and “hoping for 1.5% related spending that can be achieved by 2032, including infrastructure, cybersecurity and more.”
The two numbers can be up to 5%, but infrastructure and cybersecurity factoring change the basis for NATO calculating traditional defense spending.
The seven-year time frame is also short by the usual standards of the alliance.
Asked about his request, NATO Executive Director Mark Latte did not deny it, but he said: “I’m not going to check the numbers.” He said “many rumors are floating around” as the envoy discusses new spending targets.
Whitaker appears to be confirming its “defense investment” plan, “it includes things like mobility, necessary infrastructure, cybersecurity and more. It’s definitely more than missiles, tanks and how-fire.”
“But at the same time, it must be defensive-related. It’s not a grab bag for everything you can imagine,” Whitaker added.
It remains difficult to see the number of allies that could reach 3.5% of GDP in defense investment.
NATO’s latest estimates show that 22 allies will reach a 2% target last year, compared to 23 forecasts.
Although not in Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain, Spain expects Spain to reach a 2% goal in 2025.
Even the US was estimated to have spent 3.19% of GDP in 2024, a decade ago when all members vowed to increase spending after Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea.
He is the only ally that has fallen spending.
Whitaker also said “European investment in the defense industry capabilities should include fair treatment of American defense technology companies.”
He said that “it will curb NATO interoperability, delayed European revival, increased costs and innovation” except for the US and others.
Last month, the European Union announced a new drive to break security reliance on the US, focusing on purchasing more defense equipment in Europe.
