NATO won't heed Donald Trump’s proposal for a massive hike in defense spending but will likely agree to go beyond its current target, according to officials and analysts.
The U.S. president-elect declared on Tuesday members of the military alliance should spend 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense — a huge increase from the current 2% goal and a level that no NATO country, including the United States, currently reaches.
Trump’s comments — at a news conference that also generated a blizzard of headlines on Greenland, Canada and Panama — were a reminder of his focus on NATO spending during his first term and his threats not to protect allies that fail to meet the target.
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