Trump heads to NATO, demanding defense payments from allies and discussing troop redeployment

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to attend the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7-8, where he is expected to press European allies to fulfill their defense spending commitments. The focus will be on progress made since the Hague summit, where NATO members agreed to spend 5% of their GDP on defense by 2035. U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whittaker, noted that allies have pledged approximately $139 billion in defense spending since then, with about half allocated to U.S. equipment and weapons.

“

At the Ankara summit, we will review progress on the Hague defense commitments.

Whittaker highlighted that while some nations like Poland and the Baltic states are leading by example, others are lagging. Trump expects all allies to meet the 5% target as quickly as possible. The White House is framing this approach as "NATO 3.0," transitioning the alliance from a U.S.-dependent model to one of genuine burden-sharing and self-reliance. Discussions at the summit are anticipated to include frameworks for expanding core military capabilities and supplying products from U.S. defense companies, with potential multi-billion dollar announcements.

“

Under President Trump's leadership, the U.S. is transitioning NATO from a U.S.-dependent model to a model of real burden-sharing and self-reliance.

Another significant issue on the agenda is the potential redeployment of U.S. troops stationed in Europe. Defense Secretary Pete Hegses's review of U.S. troop presence and base operations within six months serves as another incentive for allies to bolster their capabilities and meet their defense pledges. A senior administration official suggested that stronger European allies could better handle regional threats, allowing the U.S. to focus on other areas.

“

This is another reason why allies need to have more capabilities and implement the Hague defense commitments as soon as possible.

Trump also plans to discuss ending the war in Ukraine during the summit. The White House stated that Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would discuss how to conclude the conflict, noting the current stalemate on the front lines. A senior official indicated Trump feels a strong urgency to stop the war and may hold follow-up calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The issue of Iran and maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz may also be raised, with some NATO allies expressing willingness to contribute naval assets.

“

We will discuss how the war can be ended.