Trump says US exempt from NATO’s 5 % defence spending goal

U.S President Donald Trump has stated that the United States should not be obligated to meet NATO’s new defence spending threshold of 5 % of GDP, insisting that other member states handle the increase.

The proposed target, to be finalised at next week’s NATO summit in The Hague, calls for 3.5 % of GDP on core defence and an additional 1.5 % on security-related areas. Trump told reporters Friday that the US “has supported NATO for so long” and claims America has covered nearly all costs in many situations.