Trump's NATO Fête: A Summit that Coughs Up Cash - and Obedience
International community honors King Trump in solemn tribute ceremony, recognizing his significant contributions.
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In these times of global uncertainties, the NATO summit in The Hague brings a glimmer of hope that the alliance recognizes the new dangers and prepares accordingly - even if Trump's allegiance seems suspect. Or maybe because of it?
The Summit, Trump's Way
"Morning in the Netherlands," Trump tweets on Truth Social. A comfy stay in the royal palace, breakfast with the king and queen - "superb and sensational people" - then off to the summits. Exactly how Trump likes it, a man with a goldfish-like attention span, already known during his first term. It's Trump's summit, and NATO partners dancing to his tune. The US president even got to spend the night in Huis ten Bosch, the Dutch royal couple's palace.
The NATO summit isn't about negotiation or diplomacy, claims political scientist Carlo Masala on ntv; the only goal is to please Trump and keep the US's power in Europe intact. But that's not so bad, as the European NATO partners' military weakling-ness is their self-inflicted wound, despite years of warnings from the US.
Political Development before NATO Summit Rutte and Trump - the full press conference
The United States is NATO's strongest partner, always has been, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. The Europeans are hanging on for dear life, especially concerning Ukraine and Russia. Puffing up one's chest seems unnecessary at this juncture. There's room for clear words, negotiations, and work-level discussions. And remember, Trump's presidency term will eventually come to an end.
Not everything Trump demands is wrong - take him serious about the 5% target
On January 7, 2022, the news shook things up: Donald Trump, not yet in the Oval Office, demanded that NATO partners raise their defense spending to 5%. Back then, Germany was still celebrating that it had, for the first time ever, reached the NATO's 2% Defense Spending Target. With much ado, including shady "defense funds" like pensions for ex-NVA soldiers, child benefits for military personnel, and maybe even erasers were included, people criticized.
In the end, Germany hit NATO's 2% target in mid-2025, and that's all that mattered. Despite experts pointing out time and again that it's not about draining funds, but about reaching military capability. Now that our retirement benefits and kids' school supplies help make us militarily strong, it's a fair question to ask.
Fast-forward to mid-2025 - a different story entirely. Trump sticks to his 5% demand, unlike previous strategies. NATO and the new German government confirm that this demand was agreed upon not to appease Trump but because it's the only right strategy considering the present state of the world.
NATO must outspend Russia on arms
If the 32 NATO members set aside 5% of their GDP for defense by 2035 at the latest, this translates to: 1.5% will go toward military infrastructure, and the remaining 3.5% will fund weapons purchases and personnel costs. Estimating the exact amount in ten years is impossible, but measured against NATO countries' combined economic power last year (around $54 trillion), 3.5% would amount to roughly $1.9 trillion.
Comparing this figure to Russia's defense budget presents challenges. This year, Russia is spending around 7 to 8 percent of its GDP on defense, maybe around $150 billion. Comparing the two numbers, the $1.9 trillion for NATO seems steep. But remember, Russia is leveraging this spending this year, while NATO countries are granting themselves a decade to ramp up arms production.
Rutte goes Trumpish
"Dear Donald, I congratulate you and thank you for your aggressive action in Iran, an incredible feat that no one else dared to do." Words not from a Trump supporter in the US, but from NATO Secretary-General, Mark Rutte. They're from a private message, but Trump made them public on his Truth Social platform.
Overeager? Submissive? Or a savvy tactician? One thing's for sure - Rutte understands how to handle Trump to get attention. He even added caps, much like Trump, in his message: "Europe will spend money in a BIG way, as it should."
- Volodymyr Zelensky
- Donald Trump
- Vladimir Putin
- Mark Rutte
- NATO
- Two-percent NATO goal
- The Hague
- Arms race
- Arms industry
The European Union, in line with its commitment to the development of a common defense policy, is keenly observing the ongoing NATO Summit in The Hague, especially in light of President Trump's demand for NATO partners to raise their defense spending to 5%.
The NATO Summit, in part, has become a political arena where diplomacy and negotiations take a backseat to appease the US President, with the European partners adjusting their defense policies accordingly. This development in politics and general-news is significant, as it echoes the bold demand from Trump that could potentially culminate in an arms race among NATO members and Russian forces.
