Trump recently said that NATO countries should spend 5% of their GDP on defense. No NATO country, including the US, has reached the 5% spending target. NATO officials agree with the need for further increases in defense spending but disagreed with the 5% figure, which analysts say would be “politically and economically unfeasible for almost all members.” Reaching that figure would require hundreds of billions of dollars in additional military spending.
However, the new goal will likely be agreed upon at a June NATO summit. Some sources expect NATO’s 32 members to decide on a target of around 3% of GDP after much debate. But even that would be a stretch for many countries that are barely achieving, or not meeting, the current 2% target.
Trump’s 5% proposal is seen as intentionally high, and it is expected that he might agree to something closer to 3%.