At this week's NATO summit in The Hague, the U.S. is pushing allies to commit 5% of GDP to defense, including 3.5% for core military spending and 1.5% for related infrastructure like cyber defense. While some countries support the increase, others pushed back, with Spain stating it will not exceed 2.1%. President Trump’s pressure adds tension, especially as some countries still fall short of the original 2% target. NATO has seen more members hit that threshold in recent years, but meeting the 5% goal remains uncertain. Defense industry leaders stress that actual procurement and long-term planning—not just pledges—are critical. Companies like Saab and Leonardo warn that scaling capacity requires stable, unified European demand and significant supply chain investment.
