President Donald Trump, speaking in front of the heads of state of fellow NATO allies at the alliance’s new headquarters, called out member countries Thursday for not meeting their financial commitments.
“Twenty-three of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying and what they are supposed to be paying for their defense,” Trump said, delivering these remarks as heads of state of the other NATO countries looked on.
“This is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States,” Trump said.
“2% is the bare minimum for confronting today’s very real and very vicious threats,” Trump said. “If NATO countries made their full and complete contributions, then NATO would be even stronger than it is today, especially from the threat of terrorism.”
Trump also did not reiterate US commitment to the Article 5 mutual defense pledge during his remarks before the 9/11 memorial.
Instead, his speech focused on member countries increasing their financial commitments to the alliance.
Trump left NATO members shell-shocked last summer when he suggested the US might only defend members who met their financial commitments, saying that he would stand by NATO allies only “if they fulfill their obligations to us.”