The US Pushes for an Exception from the Highered NATO Spending Target: Trump Wants the US Exempt
Trump advocates for U.S. exemption from raised NATO spending objective
Here's the deal with that upcoming NATO summit... The target for defense spending by alliance members is about to take a significant jump - a demand that ole' President Trump's been hollering about for a while now. But here's the twist: Trump doesn't think the US should be bound by that five percent target.
Now, when a reporter asked Trump if NATO members should increase their defense spending to five percent of their GDP over the next week, he said, "Sure, they should. But not us."
You might be thinkin' that America's been a bud for NATO all these years, though. Well, Trump's claimin' that the US has been carryin' the five-hundred-pound weight, footin' "nearly one hundred percent of the costs." So, naturally, he thinks others should step up to the plate, pointin' fingers at Spain and Canada for their stingy military spending.
Push for a Higher Defense Budget
Trump's been pressurin' the alliance for a long time to agree at the mid-week summit to invest at least 3.5 percent of their national GDP in defense, with an extra 1.5 percent on defense-related expenditures. This'd amount to a total quota of five percent, which Trump's been after for a spell. And we all know the US already spends a good chunk close to 3.5 percent of its GDP on defense.
Spain Balks at the Increase
But, don't count on Spain hoppin' on board just yet. The Spanish government's currently throwin' a wrench in the agreement negotiations. So, NATO ambassadors gathered in Brussels for another round of talks last Friday, and they didn't strike a deal. Diplomats say there might be more hagglin' over the weekend to hammer out an agreement before the summit on Tuesday.
Sánchez's Objection
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently penned a letter to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, callin' the planned five percent defense spending target for each country's GDP "unreasonable" and "counterproductive." This's caused some grumbles among NATO partners, as it could potentially derail the long-prepped compromise for the summit.
European NATO countries is fearful that if Trump doesn't get what he wants, he might just ditch them like a hot potato. Remember, he's been known to threaten support for countries that don't align with his expectations on defense spending.
In a nutshell, the US is askin' for a pass from the new NATO defense spending target to prevent havin' to match the much higher spending level it's expectin' others to reach, all while Trump's insistin' that Europe's been shirkin' its defense load for years. Spain and a small handful of other nations are either resistant or strainin' to meet the sudden increase, and most NATO members seem ready to accept the new five percent goal as important investment in collective security.
The European Union countries, particularly Spain, are expressing reservations about the proposed five percent defense spending target, fearing potential repercussions from the US if the goal is not met. Despite President Trump's persisting calls for a higher defense budget within NATO, his suggestion of an exemption for the US from the new target has sparked general-news discussion and debate.
