Trump's NATO Legacy: A Pledge to Defense

Thu Dec 18 2025 12:34:19 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte credits Donald Trump with strengthening NATO and securing a commitment for increased military spending among allied nations.

In a recent BBC interview, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte highlighted Donald Trump’s influence on NATO, stating that Trump's push for allies to increase defense spending to 5% of their economic output is one of his major foreign policy successes. Rutte emphasized that NATO is now stronger and credited Trump for making collective defense a priority, despite ongoing tensions with Russia. The alliance must adhere to its financial commitments to ensure safety against potential threats.

NATO countries' pledge to spend 5% of their economic output on defense is Donald Trump's biggest foreign policy success, remarked Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in an interview with the BBC.

Rutte stated that thanks to Trump, NATO is stronger than it ever was, calling him good news for collective defense, for NATO and for Ukraine. Trump’s administration notably pressured European allies to increase their defense budgets, threatening to withdraw US protection if they failed to comply.

At a summit in The Hague, NATO members agreed to enhance military spending due to perceived long-term threats from Russia and terrorism. Rutte affirmed, Now we are stronger, but if we do not implement the Hague decisions, we would be weaker than the Russians in a couple of years and that is extremely dangerous.

The backdrop to this renewed commitment is the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warning of potential future Russian aggression. Despite Putin's denials of threats, NATO leaders remain vigilant and committed to supporting Ukraine, highlighting the need for collective defense measures.