Trump calls contributions from Germany and other NATO partners "ridiculous"

Trump wrote in his post that the United States spends far more money on NATO than any other country to protect the alliance, "without itself drawing any benefit." With the word "ridiculous," he once again sharply attacked allies. Just recently, he had insulted allies as "cowards" in connection with a request for help in securing the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war; the requested support did not materialize.

The criticism comes at a time when the European NATO states and Canada are massively ramping up their defense spending. According to inflation-adjusted comparison figures, they increased their spending in 2025 by 19.6 percent to 574 billion US dollars. Germany climbed by more than 20 percent compared to 2024 according to these figures, reaching 88.8 billion euros.

Record increase in defense spending

That Trump puts pressure on Germany and other allies is not a new pattern. At the NATO summit in The Hague in the Netherlands, the alliance had already decided on an unprecedented increase in defense spending under pressure from the US president. According to this, member states are to invest at least five percent of their gross domestic product annually in defense and security by 2035 at the latest – a level not seen since the Cold War.

The gap between US spending and that of the allies has been shrinking for years. At the same time, NATO emphasizes that its statistics cover all of a country's defense spending and not just the troop shares earmarked for NATO planning. The basis of comparison is thus broader than is often portrayed in public debate.

High target level since the Cold War

With a view to the summit scheduled for July 7 and 8 in Turkey, Trump continues to build pressure. Germany and the other partners had collectively increased their defense spending in 2025 by a record amount. The fact that the US president nevertheless portrays the contributions as insufficient underscores the ongoing dispute within the alliance over burden-sharing and responsibilities.

Trump's accusation fits into a long list of criticisms of the European NATO states. Since taking office, he had repeatedly demanded that Europe pay significantly more for collective defense. The figures now communicated – particularly the increase of more than 20 percent in Germany – however, contradict the picture of a "ridiculously" low contribution.

Unclear basis for the criticism

The post is part of a strategy with which Trump, shortly before the summit in Ankara, formulates the expectation that the allies will further increase their efforts. Whether he is seeking concrete commitments or using the stage of the summit for domestic political messages, the US president left open.

The German government and the other European NATO states have so far not publicly commented on Trump's latest post. What is clear, however, is that the alliance was already committed to an increase in defense spending in The Hague – and that the figures now presented show that these commitments are already being implemented in national budgets.