NATO Secretary General Credits Trump for Increased Defence Spending and Alliance Strength
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has lauded former US President Donald Trump for his role in compelling allied nations to significantly increase their defence spending, arguing that his assertive approach has ultimately made the alliance stronger and more secure. Rutte made these remarks on Thursday, emphasizing that Trump’s pressure was instrumental in achieving a long-sought goal of member states committing a substantial portion of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defence.
This assertion came as NATO released its annual report, which indicates that all member nations are now meeting or exceeding the target of spending 2% of their GDP on defence. Rutte contends that this milestone would not have been reached without Trump’s direct intervention, particularly highlighting countries like Spain, Belgium, and Italy, which had historically fallen short of these defence spending commitments for decades.
“I don’t believe the whole of NATO would reach 2% by 2025 without the present US administration,” Rutte stated to journalists during a press conference in Brussels. He further elaborated on new spending targets, negotiated during a special summit tailored for Trump the previous year in The Hague. These new benchmarks include a commitment to spend 5% of GDP, with a specific allocation of 3.5% dedicated to hard military capabilities.
Rutte was unequivocal in his belief that, absent Trump’s influence, NATO would not have agreed to what he described as an ambitious yet critically necessary defence spending objective. His comments were made at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, coinciding with the release of the alliance’s comprehensive annual report for 2025.
The annual report paints a stark picture of the current geopolitical landscape, identifying Russia as the most “significant and direct threat to our security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.” It also explicitly notes that the “brutal war of aggression against Ukraine is backed by China, North Korea, Iran and Belarus,” underscoring a complex web of international support for Russia’s actions.
The former Dutch Prime Minister has, at times, faced criticism within Europe for what some perceived as an overly accommodating stance towards President Trump and a lack of critical engagement with certain US policy decisions, potentially at the expense of other alliance members.
During the subsequent press conference, Rutte was pressed on the question of US reliability as NATO’s preeminent partner. This line of questioning arose in the context of past US pronouncements, including threats concerning Greenland, and the ongoing tensions involving Iran.
In relation to the escalating situation with Iran, Rutte expressed support for the ongoing military operations conducted by the United States in conjunction with Israeli forces. He suggested that these actions are effectively “degrading (military) capability,” and that the alternative approach would be naive. “And yes, I applaud it,” he affirmed. It is important to note that NATO itself is not directly involved in this particular conflict.
Rutte also highlighted President Trump’s growing frustration with the perceived unwillingness of European allies, to date, to respond to his call for assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz. This vital shipping lane has faced disruptions and attacks from Iran, in retaliation for strikes conducted by the US and Israel. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint, responsible for carrying approximately one-fifth of the global oil supply, and its instability has contributed to significant volatility in energy prices.
Despite these challenges, Rutte maintained that key NATO countries, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, along with several non-NATO allies such as Japan, are actively developing plans to provide support in the region and to help secure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He indicated that these efforts are “happening as we speak.”
Earlier in the week, at a summit in Brussels, European Union countries had indicated that any intervention in the region would ideally occur when the area is not in the midst of a “hot,” and therefore more dangerous, conflict.
In a related development, a spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the United Kingdom and France are scheduled to co-chair military discussions later in the week. These talks are expected to involve over 30 nations with the objective of forming a coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Further details regarding the specifics of this coalition were not immediately available.
