NATO chief to Europe: ‘Stop worrying’ about US, just increase spending
European officials hope the 5% defense-spending pledge will placate Trump.
Audrey Decker | June 24, 2025 12:22 PM ET
NATO Defense Budget Europe White House
THE HAGUE—Top NATO and U.S. officials said President Trump is “committed” to the Western alliance, but cautioned that a sea change is coming—one that will result in Europe being in charge of its own defense.
“My message to my European colleagues is ‘stop worrying so much.’ Start to make sure that you get investment plans down, that you get [the] industrial base up and running, that the support for Ukraine remains at a high level. This is what you should work on, and stop running around being worried about the U.S. They are there. They are with us,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Tuesday during the two-day NATO Summit.
But, Rutte continued, that support requires NATO members to “equalize” their defense spending with that of the United States.
“There is total commitment by the U.S. president and the U.S. senior leadership to NATO. However, it comes with an expectation...that we will finally deal with this huge pebble issue, this huge irritant, which is that we are not spending enough,” Rutte said. “I think it’s fair that we take a bigger share of this burden as Europeans and Canadians from the United States.”
https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/06/nato-chief-europe-stop-worrying-about-us-just-increase-spending/406274/?oref=d1-homepage-top-story
