President Donald Trump may skip the upcoming NATO summit in the Netherlands this June unless European allies increase their defense spending, according to reports from Spiegel and Reuters. Trump has long criticized NATO members, particularly Germany, for not meeting spending commitments, arguing that the United States unfairly bears the burden of the alliance’s defense costs.
Last week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth raised the issue with his German counterpart, urging accelerated defense investments. The administration reportedly wants European nations to take primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense.
NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker told Newsmax that European allies understand the need to contribute more and that “significant developments” are expected ahead of the summit. However, he did not confirm whether Trump plans to attend.
Trump reiterated his stance in March, saying, “If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them.”
