Trump claims he “saved NATO” amid defence spending push

NATO would not exist if Donald Trump had not served as U.S. president, the American leader asserted in remarks to journalists.

“I’m the one that got them to pay 5 per cent of GDP [...] It was two per cent, and they didn’t pay. Now they’re paying five per cent. I’m the one that saved NATO. You wouldn’t have NATO if I weren’t president,” Caliber.Az quotes him as saying.

The U.S. leader’s comments come as NATO members continue to increase defence spending. In December, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte highlighted what he described as Trump’s key achievement: prompting allied countries to invest more in their militaries.

On June 25, the leaders of NATO member states agreed to raise defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035, signalling a continued commitment to strengthening the alliance amid growing security challenges in Europe and beyond.

By Vugar Khalilov