Trump won spending promises from NATO allies last year. This week, he'll try to enforce them

President Donald Trump arrives in Turkey this week with a clear mission: enforce defense spending pledges secured from NATO allies last year. The U.S. president has significantly reshaped the alliance, pushing members to commit 5% of their annual gross domestic product to defense over the next decade.

Trump expects allies to "step up immediately and get on the path to 5% and do it with urgency," U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker told reporters. This demand comes as Trump has frequently voiced grievances about U.S. defense spending relative to other nations.

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President Trump fully expects that all allies will step up immediately and get on the path to 5% and do it with urgency.

Mark Rutte, NATO's secretary-general, previously highlighted increased commitments since 2017, displaying charts of "The Trump Trillion." However, the Ankara gathering is seen by experts like Luke Coffey of the Hudson Institute as a "first report card" on these promises.

Beyond defense spending, the summit agenda includes discussions on security assistance for Ukraine, with Trump scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The ongoing conflict with Russia is expected to be a key focus. Trump also plans meetings with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

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If NATO members play their cards right, if the leaders show up demonstrating a commitment and a reasonable plan to meet these spending targets, then it'll allow President Trump to take a victory lap.