NATO leaders agreed to a bold new target of spending 5% of GDP on defense by 2035, marking a dramatic increase from the long-standing 2% threshold. Spain and Slovakia, however, are already signaling they won’t play along.
Key Facts:
- Nearly all NATO members supported raising defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, excluding Spain and possibly Slovakia.
- The new goal divides spending into 3.5% for military use and 1.5% for dual-use infrastructure.
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said “there is no alternative” given the threat from Russia.
- Spain rejected the goal, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez saying his country won’t increase spending.
- Poland, the top defense spender by GDP share, criticized Spain’s refusal as “a bad example.”
The Rest of The Story:
NATO’s proposed shift to 5% GDP defense spending represents the most aggressive increase in decades, more than doubling the current 2% benchmark.
The move was praised by key figures like NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Finland’s president, who hailed it as a rebirth of NATO with stronger European contributions.
Spain’s flat-out refusal stood out.
Prime Minister Sánchez claimed Spain could meet alliance responsibilities without boosting spending, despite contributing the least among member nations at just 1.28% of GDP.
Slovakia may follow suit, with Prime Minister Robert Fico citing “other priorities.”
Poland—already a top spender—led the backlash.
Deputy PM Kosiniak-Kamysz called out low-spending members, warning their stance sends a “bad example.”
Trump, whose push for greater burden-sharing long ruffled feathers in Brussels, is set to meet with Ukraine’s Zelensky separately, underscoring his growing diplomatic footprint.
Commentary:
Let’s call this what it is: a long-overdue reckoning at NATO, one Trump set in motion years ago.
While the legacy media mocked his demands back then, today’s 5% pledge is vindication.
And yet—don’t pop the champagne just yet. Spain is already refusing to pay the cover charge for its own security. Slovakia’s not far behind.
If this were a neighborhood watch, they’d be the guys peeking through the curtains while others patrol the streets.
This is the problem with collective defense when some members see it as a handout.
The U.S. taxpayer continues to underwrite Europe’s freedom while European elites build wind farms and social programs.
Trump didn’t invent this freeloading dynamic—he just said the quiet part out loud.
Now NATO’s pretending to get serious. But without enforcement, this 5% target is a New Year’s resolution waiting to be broken.
No fines, no consequences—just more empty promises. Meanwhile, Poland—once an afterthought in NATO—is leading by example.
They remember what it’s like to live in Moscow’s shadow.
Maybe that’s why they understand deterrence better than their western neighbors.
And what about Zelensky? He got a dinner invite but not a seat at the table.
That should tell you everything about NATO’s mixed signals on Ukraine: solidarity in speeches, silence in meetings.
The Bottom Line:
Trump’s years of pressure may finally be shifting NATO’s posture, but early signs of backpedaling from countries like Spain cast doubt on the alliance’s resolve.
Words are cheap—especially in Brussels.
Without accountability, the 5% pledge risks becoming just another lofty goal with no teeth.
Read Next
RJK Jr. and Dr. Oz Announce Big Win for Patients: Insurance Industry Agrees to Drastic Reforms
Freedom Wins: Short-Barrel Guns Now Legal Under Texas Law
US Government Releases Video of ‘Disc-Shaped’ UFO With Abnormal Heat Signature
Trump’s Profanity-Laced Warning Halts Israeli Assault After Iranian Broke the Ceasefire
Court Backs AI’s Right to Use Stolen Books for Training—Trial on Piracy Still Looms