The President had earlier complained that the U.S. “spends more money on NATO than any other country, by far, to protect them, without getting any benefit.”
Seemingly citing figures from NATO’s defence expenditure data in 2025, he compared the “$999 billion” spent by the U.S. to the “$44.3 billion” put forward by Poland. [NATO’s 2025 estimate for U.S. spending is $980 billion.] “Others, including Germany, are much lower,” Trump insisted.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday defended his country’s contributions.
“Germany is doubling its defense budget within four years. This is the greatest effort we have ever made to strengthen our defense capabilities. In this respect, we have no reason to shy away from anyone,” he told reporters.
“We will state this, with all due modesty, and we are doing so as the European Union’s largest member state, bearing a responsibility within Europe.”
NATO defense spending has long been a contentious issue for Trump who has, since his first term, accused European allies of not investing enough in their own militaries and relying too heavily on U.S. contributions and protections.