NATO Secretary General Praises Trump and Biden's Roles in Boosting Defense Spending

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg credits both Donald Trump and Joe Biden for their efforts in persuading NATO allies to increase their defense spending commitments. Twenty-three out of 32 NATO members have now met their 2% GDP defense spending targets, a significant increase from the past.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has acknowledged the contributions of both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden in encouraging NATO allies to increase their defense spending. Stoltenberg's comments came during an interview on Fox News radio's 'The Brian Kilmeade Show' as the NATO summit concluded.

Trump has been vocal in claiming credit for boosting NATO defense spending during his presidency. The number of allies meeting their spending commitments did increase to nine in 2020 from five in 2016, when Trump took office. However, that number dropped to six when he left in 2021.

NATO Secretary General Praises Trump and Biden's Roles in Boosting Defense Spending

The most significant jump in NATO defense expenditure occurred this year, with 23 of the 32 nations meeting their spending agreements for the first time. Trump supporters attribute this increase to the war in Ukraine, while Biden supporters point to the efforts of the current administration.

Canada, which has faced scrutiny for its defense spending shortfall, announced during the summit that it would finally meet its 2% spending pledge by 2032. However, several smaller NATO nations, including Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, have surpassed the 2% target and spend significantly more on defense.

NATO Secretary General Praises Trump and Biden's Roles in Boosting Defense Spending

Eight countries still fall short of their spending goals: Croatia, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Spain, and Iceland, which is exempt due to its lack of a standing military.

Concerns have been raised that the 2% spending commitments set nearly two decades ago no longer reflect the current challenges faced by the alliance, particularly in light of aggressive authoritarian regimes like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.

NATO Secretary General Praises Trump and Biden's Roles in Boosting Defense Spending

Some NATO officials, such as Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, have emphasized the need to adjust spending commitments to meet evolving threats. Finnish President Alexander Stubb also credited Trump for pushing for the 2% target, acknowledging that it likely would not have been achieved without his efforts.

In an interview with John Roberts, UK Defense Secretary John Healey indicated that the new Labour Party government would be working towards increasing NATO spending commitments beyond the 2% target.

NATO Secretary General Praises Trump and Biden's Roles in Boosting Defense Spending

During a press conference following the summit, Biden highlighted his efforts to strengthen NATO, such as adding Finland and Sweden to the alliance. He also dismissed Trump's foreign policy credentials and suggested that opposing Trump was crucial for the alliance.

Stoltenberg, however, emphasized NATO's commitment to staying out of domestic politics and declined to comment on the US presidential race.

NATO Secretary General Praises Trump and Biden's Roles in Boosting Defense Spending