Washington: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that all NATO members are expected to agree on a long-term goal of allocating 5% of their GDP to defense spending by the time of the NATO Summit in June 2025.
Speaking on Fox News’ “Hannity”, Rubio emphasized that the alliance is moving toward a significant increase in collective defense commitments. The proposed spending increase marks a major shift from NATO’s existing benchmark of 2% of GDP, which many member countries have struggled to meet consistently in past years.
“I can tell you that we are headed for a summit in six weeks, in which virtually every member of NATO will be at or above 2% but more importantly, many of them will be over 4% and all will have agreed on the goal of reaching 5% over the next decade,” Rubio said.
Rubio’s comments come in the context of a renewed focus on burden-sharing within the alliance, particularly under the administration of President Donald Trump. During his first term (2017–2021), Trump repeatedly criticized NATO members for underfunding their defense contributions while the U.S. covered a disproportionate share.
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Trump’s stance appears to have gained traction. This week, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul expressed Berlin’s support for Trump’s call for increased defense spending, aligning with the goal of reaching 5% of GDP. Germany had earlier announced in January that it had met NATO’s 2% spending target for 2024.
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The upcoming NATO Summit, set to take place in the Netherlands from June 24–25, will be a critical moment for confirming this shift in defense strategy and for demonstrating transatlantic unity amid rising global tensions.
