The Hague, Netherlands — NATO members have agreed to raise their defense spending to 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) annually by 2035, according to a declaration issued on Wednesday following a high-level summit in The Hague.
The new spending target will be split between two key categories: 3.5% for core defense and 1.5% for related areas, including critical infrastructure, networks, and defense industrial capabilities. The plan is set to undergo a review in 2029 to account for the evolving strategic environment and revised capability targets.
U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the agreement at a press conference after the summit, asserting that Washington had long shouldered more than its fair share of the alliance’s defense burden. Taking credit for a “fantastic” outcome that “no one really thought possible,” Trump described the spending hike as “a monumental win for the United States.”
However, he singled out Spain, criticizing Madrid as the only country refusing to meet its full commitment. Trump stated that the United States is negotiating a trade deal with Spain and warned that Madrid could be made to “pay twice as much” through trade measures.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had previously agreed with NATO to limit his country’s military spending to 2.1% of GDP. He cautioned that “rushing toward 5%” would lead to rising prices and public spending, reducing investment in key sectors such as education and digital development.
In a move aimed at reassuring European allies concerned about the threat from Russia, Trump also signed off on a final leaders’ declaration confirming “our ironclad commitment” to NATO’s collective defense pledge that an attack on one is an attack on all.
The Trump administration emphasized that European nations must take primary responsibility for their own security rather than relying on the United States through NATO. Speaking at the end of the summit, Secretary General Mark Rutte said Europeans would be responsible for more of the military aid to Ukraine. He added that the United States would still be “very much involved with intelligence-sharing, with also practical military support,” including potentially providing air defense systems.
