Staff Reports
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has announced that European nations within the alliance are finally catching up to the American standard on defense spending—thanks to President Trump’s long-standing insistence that they up their game. Once again, the former president’s perspective has proven influential, as Rutte confirmed agreements to increase defense spending from the piddly two percent of GDP currently mandated, to a robust five percent, following Trump’s push during a recent press conference. It seems the European NATO members are starting to realize that their Netflix memberships aren’t the only thing that requires a budget!
Trump had been crystal clear during his presidency, arguing that NATO was stuck in a financial timewarp and needed to wake up. His suggestion wasn’t merely a casual recommendation; it was a truth bomb that seemed too heavy for many European leaders to handle back then. However, in a world increasingly shaped by Russian aggressiveness, they are on board, albeit tardily. Rutte noted that since Trump’s administration began, Europe has managed to scrounge up an additional $700 billion for defense, which is a step in the right direction—but it’s still a far cry from where it needs to be.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said European countries in the military alliance have agreed to step up their defense spending in the wake of President Donald Trump’s request that they increase the number to 5% of GDP.
Amazing how they’ve come around ✅✅ pic.twitter.com/yOTxxThWqG— G-PA (@IndianaGPA) February 18, 2025
The communicator-in-chief of the Trump Administration, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, even chimed in this week, urging European allies to make real investments because America’s commitment isn’t set in stone for life. Apparently, Europe has gotten the memo that it can’t count on Uncle Sam to cover their defense expenses forever. As NATO’s financial overhaul gathers momentum, one can’t help but imagine Rutte sending out a party invite to European leaders that reads: “It’s time to pay your fair share—bring cash.”.
Rutte’s admission that “it’s absolutely still not enough” to defend against current threats only underscores how far behind Europe has been in addressing its own security. While he applauds the increase in spending, he firmly argues that a continuous gap exists in critical areas like long-range missiles and military logistics, begging the question of why such essential matters were neglected until now. The clock is ticking, and Europe’s decision-makers are finally growing weary of dancing around the issue.
Interestingly, Rutte also took time to pat Trump on the back for his leadership in seeking a peaceful solution for Ukraine—a nod from Europe that appears to have finally curbed their criticisms of the former president’s diplomatic strategies. After years of chuckling at Trump’s requests, European leaders are now strangely quiet as they frantically rally support for post-conflict stability in Ukraine. The irony is thick enough to cut with a knife, as the same leaders who once rolled their eyes at Trump are now following his lead.
In 2017, when Trump first took office, there were only six NATO nations meeting the agreed-upon two percent defense threshold. With increasing urgency stemming from the war in Ukraine, that number has risen to 23 out of 32 member nations, many of whom are now taking “serious” steps to boost their defense budgets. It’s safe to say that the once-feared “Trump Effect” is rearing its head again, prompting European nations to scramble to take responsibility for their own security obligations at long last.
