Donald Trump is threatening the NATO states with extreme measures. Diplomats from Europe are trying to get through to him.
Trump could use the pressure of the USA's withdrawal from NATO to force other countries to meet the two percent target. The USA was in second place in NATO defense spending in 2023 after Poland doubled the country's internal percentage target to four percent. With a total of almost 900 billion US dollars in spending, the USA is still far ahead in absolute figures. However, a change to the NATO charter that would actually suspend the alliance for member states that do not pay enough is highly unlikely. The principle of unanimity prevails in NATO, as no sovereign rights were given up upon joining. Especially given the international outcry following Trump's comments, very few states would likely side with Trump on such an amendment. A diplomat criticized Trump's outbursts of anger and uninformed statements. The Republican was known for his Twitter politics, especially during his first term in office. According to reports, diplomats have not been in office for very long.