Trump wants NATO to hit 3 percent GDP on defense

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Donald Trump has pledged to push NATO allies to increase their defense spending target from 2% to 3% of GDP if he wins the 2024 election. While increasing NATO’s defense budgets would strengthen the alliance, Trump’s proposal also raises concerns about the U.S. defense budget, which currently struggles to meet a 3% threshold. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that hitting a 3% of GDP goal would require a significant budget increase for the U.S. military, potentially reaching $1.03 trillion by the end of a second Trump administration. Additionally, inflation and rising defense costs could diminish the Pentagon’s buying power, making it difficult to maintain an edge over adversaries like China. Experts have long argued for increasing U.S. defense spending by 3-5% annually above inflation to adequately meet global security challenges.

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