NATO Members Endorse 5 Percent Defense Spending Target

On Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told U.S. President Donald Trump, ‘Your leadership made this possible.’

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte addresses a press conference during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in The Hague on June 25, 2025. Photo by Nicolas Tucat / AFP

THE HAGUE, Netherlands—On the final day of the NATO summit, members on Wednesday endorsed a defense spending target of 5 percent of GDP by 2035.

All NATO members will be expected to spend 3.5 percent of their GDP on core defense, such as troops, weapons, and equipment.