President Donald Trump repeatedly emphasized during his tenure the need for NATO allies to increase their defense spending and meet the agreed-upon target of 2% of their GDP. However, he also pushed for even higher contributions, at times suggesting allies should aim for 4% or even 5% of GDP on defense. While Trump did advocate for NATO members to contribute as much as 5% of their GDP, no formal NATO agreement or official NATO policy sets 5% as the target. The official NATO guideline remains that members should aim to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense. Trump's statements about 5% were more of a political demand or proposal rather than an official NATO commitment or announcement.
Sources: Based on general knowledge of President Trump's statements and NATO defense spending guidelines.
