U.S. President Donald Trump cast doubt on Washington's commitment to defending its NATO partners on March 6, saying that the U.S. will not protect those that fail to meet defense spending targets.
"If they don't pay, I'm not going to defend them. No, I'm not going to defend them," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
The statement follows an article from NBC News that Trump is considering reducing U.S. commitments to NATO and recalibrating engagement to favor members that allocate a set percentage of their gross domestic product (GDP) to defense.
"They should be paying more," the U.S. president added.
Trump has long demanded that NATO allies increase their military spending. He previously called for the alliance to raise its benchmark from 2% to 5% of the GDP.
As of 2024, 24 of NATO's 32 members meet the current 2% target, with Poland (4.12%), Estonia (3.43%), and the U.S. (3.38%) leading the way. Several nations, including Italy, Canada, and Spain, still fall short.
Some NATO members are discussing raising the spending level to 3% by 2030.
Trump's remarks follow his declaration from last year that he would endorse Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" to NATO countries failing to meet defense criteria, a statement widely seen as undermining NATO's collective-defense principle.
The comments come amid heightened scrutiny of Trump's foreign policy, as he has echoed Kremlin narratives, engaged in direct negotiations with Moscow while sidelining Kyiv, and accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of prolonging the war.
Trump has also refused to offer security guarantees to Ukraine, saying during his Feb. 28 meeting with Zelensky that Europe should take responsibility for Kyiv's security.
Washington has since frozen all military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, a move widely seen as an attempt to pressure Kyiv into peace talks with Moscow.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
