Trump calls out NATO ahead of summit, calling it 'ridiculous' for US to persist on 'one sided path'
U.S. President Donald Trump blasted NATO on Truth Social over defense spending disparities ahead of the alliance's upcoming summit in Ankara, Turkey
President Donald Trump targeted the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), venting frustration about the alliance in Thursday social media posts.
"The United States spends more money on NATO than any other country, by far, to protect them, without getting any benefit from so doing: U.S. 999 Billion Dollars, United Kingdom, 90.5 Billion Dollars, France, 66.5 Billion Dollars, Italy, 48.8 Billion Dollars, Poland, 44.3 Billion Dollars. Others, including Germany, are MUCH LOWER. (2014-2025) Ridiculous!" the president asserted in a Thursday morning Truth Social post.
A NATO release, which explains that the "cut-off date for information used in this report was 3 June 2025" and that "figures for 2024 and 2025 are estimates," listed the estimated 2025 U.S. defense expenditure as $980 billion, the United Kingdom's as $90.508 billion, France as $66.531 billion, Italy as $48.8 billion, and Poland as $44.314 billion.
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America's commander in chief also called out NATO in a post on Thursday night.
"Ridiculous for the U.S.A. to continue along this one sided path when the relationship is not reciprocal. They were not there for us!!!" Trump exclaimed in the post.
The president's vocal complaints about NATO came ahead of the alliance's upcoming summit in Ankara, Turkey, next week. Trump is scheduled to attend.
Trump met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House last month.
Trump has been critical of NATO amid the U.S. war with Iran.
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"Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL. They were useless when needed, a Paper Tiger!" Trump asserted in a mid-April Truth Social post.