Trump urges NATO members to double military spending to 4% of GDP
- 6 years ago
During the first day of a two-day NATO summit in Brussels on Wednesday.... U.S. President Donald Trump pressed NATO allies to double their defense spending goal.
Ro Aram reports.
The issue of defense spending and improved burden-sharing are issues President Trump has repeatedly harped on.
But NATO members seemed quite bewildered by Trump's proposed target of four percent of GDP on military spending.
NATO said that figure is not even being met by the United States.
President Trump had earlier said Washington spends 4.2 percent, but according to numbers released by NATO, it spent an estimated three and a half percent on defense this year, which is lower than last year's figure.
He also singled out Germany for not pulling its weight, saying Berlin only spends "a little over one percent.
NATO figures show Germany spends just under one and a quarter percent.
When asked about Trump's proposal, this is what NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had to say…
"…..Well I will focus on what we have agreed and we have agreed to be committed to the pledge increasing defence spending to 2 percent. And let's start with that. So we have a way to go, but the good news is that we really started to deliver……"
Despite President Trump's complaints, he did sign the joint communique, in which NATO members agreed to focus on more defense-spending and burden-sharing.
They also pledged to bolster the alliance's deterrence and defense capabilities to counter Russian threats.
The joint communique comes just days before Trump meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.
Ro Aram, Arirang News.
Ro Aram reports.
The issue of defense spending and improved burden-sharing are issues President Trump has repeatedly harped on.
But NATO members seemed quite bewildered by Trump's proposed target of four percent of GDP on military spending.
NATO said that figure is not even being met by the United States.
President Trump had earlier said Washington spends 4.2 percent, but according to numbers released by NATO, it spent an estimated three and a half percent on defense this year, which is lower than last year's figure.
He also singled out Germany for not pulling its weight, saying Berlin only spends "a little over one percent.
NATO figures show Germany spends just under one and a quarter percent.
When asked about Trump's proposal, this is what NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had to say…
"…..Well I will focus on what we have agreed and we have agreed to be committed to the pledge increasing defence spending to 2 percent. And let's start with that. So we have a way to go, but the good news is that we really started to deliver……"
Despite President Trump's complaints, he did sign the joint communique, in which NATO members agreed to focus on more defense-spending and burden-sharing.
They also pledged to bolster the alliance's deterrence and defense capabilities to counter Russian threats.
The joint communique comes just days before Trump meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.
Ro Aram, Arirang News.