Trump Takes NATO Summit by Storm with New Defense Spending Push

President Donald Trump is gearing up to take center stage at the NATO Summit in The Hague, Netherlands, striking a notably warmer tone with an alliance he’s often critiqued in the past. On the second day of the summit, Trump will meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and other global leaders before addressing the press, potentially setting the tone for a new chapter in transatlantic relations.

In a surprising twist, Trump hinted at a possible meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who’s pushing hard for Ukraine’s NATO membership amid ongoing regional tensions. This comes as Trump’s influence seems to be reshaping NATO’s priorities, with Rutte personally congratulating him via text for brokering a fragile U.S.-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Iran—a deal that nearly collapsed until Trump urged Israel to stand down.

Perhaps the biggest headline from The Hague is NATO’s bold new defense spending target of 5% of GDP, a significant jump from the long-standing 2% goal that many members struggled to meet. Trump’s persistent calls for Europe to shoulder more of the burden appear to have paid off, with the new target splitting into 3.5% for core defense and 1.5% for infrastructure like cyberwarfare. While Poland leads at 4.1% and the U.S. sits at 3.4%, some nations like Spain face a steep climb to meet even the old benchmark.

Rutte didn’t hold back, urging European allies to bolster defenses to a level where ‘no one dares attack,’ while pointing out the absurdity of Russia—whose economy is a fraction of NATO’s—potentially outproducing the alliance. Yet, despite the progress, Trump stirred unease by dodging a firm commitment to Article 5, NATO’s mutual defense pact, offering instead a vague promise of friendship and support. While the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, reassured allies of America’s staying power, Rutte doubled down, telling partners to stop fretting and focus on their own strength.

As Trump lands in The Hague, hailed by Rutte for both the spending deal and his Iran mediation, the summit feels like a tightrope walk between renewed camaraderie and lingering uncertainties. Will this be a turning point for NATO, or just another chapter of unpredictability? Only time—and Trump’s next move—will tell.