Trump Reaffirms NATO Article 5 Commitment at The Hague/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump reaffirmed his commitment to NATO’s Article 5 pledge during the alliance’s summit in The Hague. He also celebrated NATO’s new goal for all members to spend 5% of GDP on defense by 2035. Despite previous doubts, Trump stated, “That’s why I’m here,” solidifying U.S. support for mutual defense.
Trump NATO Article 5 Commitment Quick Look
- President Trump affirmed support for NATO’s mutual defense pact during the 2025 summit.
- NATO members committed to increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.
- Spain and others expressed concern about reaching the new spending target.
- Trump’s comments follow years of pressuring allies over military contributions.
- NATO unity underscored amid rising threats from Russia and global instability.
- Trump responded to skepticism over U.S. military strikes on Iran and media reports.
- A meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is planned.
Trump Reaffirms NATO Article 5 Commitment at The Hague
Deep Look
U.S. President Donald Trump reconfirmed America’s commitment to NATO’s collective defense pact on Wednesday, a day after raising doubts about Article 5 — the treaty’s core principle that an attack on one member is an attack on all.
Speaking at the NATO summit in The Hague, Trump declared, “That’s why I’m here,” as he sat down with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof.
His affirmation follows growing concerns among alliance members about the United States’ commitment to NATO, especially after Trump recently said his adherence to Article 5 “depends on your definition.” The shift in tone arrived amid a summit marked by a historic agreement: a substantial hike in defense spending across the 32-member alliance.
NATO leaders formally endorsed a pledge for each member to invest 5% of their GDP in core defense and security-related spending by 2035 — a move Trump has championed for years. “I’ve been asking them to go up to 5% for a number of years,” he said in a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. “I think that’s going to be very big news.”
While Trump celebrated the agreement as a win, the ambitious goal isn’t without opposition. Spain has already stated it won’t meet the 2035 deadline, calling it unreasonable. Belgium and Slovakia voiced reservations, citing economic constraints and national autonomy in defense policy. Critics note the move comes as many European nations face tough budget choices, often at the expense of social programs.
Despite the controversy, most NATO countries — especially those bordering Russia — support the spending hike. Poland, the Baltic states, and Nordic nations, along with France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the U.K., back the measure.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb hailed it as the birth of “a more balanced NATO,” adding it signaled a return to Cold War-era defense levels.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, acknowledged allies’ concerns about the U.S. commitment but worked to reassure leaders during the summit.
“We were very strong in reaffirming that the United States is committed to NATO and Article 5,” she said.
Beyond defense spending, the summit occurred under the shadow of recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump insisted those strikes brought about “total obliteration,” though a classified U.S. intelligence report suggested the program had only been set back by a few months. Trump and top officials pushed back on the report and launched an investigation into leaks to the press.
“That hit ended the war,” Trump said, drawing a controversial comparison to the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II. “I don’t want to use those examples, but that was essentially the same thing. That ended that war.”
Despite these tensions, Trump continues to assert the success of both the Iran operation and his influence on NATO policy. The White House has not disclosed all of Trump’s planned bilateral meetings, but he confirmed an upcoming sit-down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, signaling continued U.S. involvement in Eastern Europe’s defense and stability.
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