NATO in a Nutshell

The NATO meeting has been a bit tense



The Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization—a body of 29 countries that share a military alliance—met yesterday and today for the group’s annual summit. And like the G7 meeting last month, things between the U.S. and its allies are a bit tense.

Here’s what’s on President Trump’s mind:

Of the 29 countries, only five currently meet NATO’s shared goal: that military spending should account for 2% of a country’s GDP.

But while NATO countries agreed to charge towards that goal by 2024, the president suggested bumping that percentage to 4% (according to Axios, an “unrealistic target“). That sure eased the tension in the room…

Bottom line: It was hardly a formal proposal, but it falls in line with Trump’s line of thinking: other countries are getting the better deal while the U.S. overcompensates.

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