Rubio demands NATO pony up, dismisses 'hysteria' over US role under Trump

Secretary of State Marco Rubio connected Thursday said NATO nations indispensable supply a "realistic pathway" to ramp up their defence spending to deed a 5% threshold – including the U.S.

"I recognize there's home politics, aft decades of gathering up immense societal information nets that possibly don't privation to instrumentality distant from that and put much successful nationalist security," Rubio said portion speaking astatine a NATO overseas ministers lawsuit successful Brussels. "But the events of the past fewer years… full-scale crushed warfare successful the bosom of Europe arsenic a reminder that hard powerfulness is inactive indispensable arsenic a deterrent.

"We bash privation to permission present with an knowing that we are connected a pathway, a realistic pathway to each azygous 1 of the members committee, and fulfilling a committedness to scope up to 5% of spending," Rubio said, adding that "the United States volition person to summation its percentage."

NATO LEADERS PREDICT ERA OF 2% DEFENSE SPENDING 'PROBABLY HISTORY' AS TRUMP REPORTEDLY FLOATS HIGHER TARGET

Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a property league connected the time of a NATO overseas ministers' gathering astatine the alliance's office successful Brussels, Belgium, April 3, 2025. (Reuterrs/Yves Herman)

While the bulk of the 32 NATO members presently walk 2% of their nation’s GDP per erstwhile NATO commitments, 8 nations – Croatia, Portugal, Italy, Canada, Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovenia and Spain – person yet to conscionable their defence spending pledges.

Only Poland spends implicit 4% of its GDP connected defense, portion 4 different nations walk implicit 3% – Estonia, the U.S., Latvia and Greece. 

Despite the terrible spending increases this volition request from each NATO nations, Rubio's propulsion is improbable to beryllium met with superior absorption arsenic NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and different NATO allies, person progressively called for much defence spending. 

Washington successful 2024 spent 3.38% of its GDP connected defense, which equated to much than $967 billion, according to NATO figures released successful July.

The U.S. closed retired 2024 with a GDP of implicit $29.7 billion, which means it is connected way to walk $1 trillion connected defence successful 2025 if it maintains the existent expenditure complaint of 3.38%. 

RUBIO ARRIVES IN BRUSSELS FOR NATO TALKS AMID UNEASE OVER TRUMP’S AGENDA

NATO's largest yearly maritime drill, Exercise Dynamic Mariner/Flotex 25, continues successful the Gulf of Cadiz disconnected confederate Spain connected March 28, 2025. (Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Rubio did not item what timeframe helium expected to spot nations summation their defence spending to deed the 5% threshold, though if the U.S. did it successful 2025, that would mean allocating astir $1.49 trillion for defence – a fig that is higher than the existent full spent by the full NATO alliance, which collectively spent $1.47 trillion successful 2024.

"As we talk close now, the United States is arsenic progressive successful NATO arsenic it has ever been," Rubio said. "Some of this hysteria and hyperbole that I spot successful the planetary media and immoderate home media successful the United States astir NATO is unwarranted. 

"The United States president [has] made clear. He supports NATO. We're going to stay successful NATO," helium reaffirmed. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio greets the property arsenic helium walks with the recently appointed U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker connected the archetypal time of the NATO overseas ministers' gathering connected April 3, 2025, successful Brussels, Belgium.  (Omar Havana/Getty Images)

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Rubio said the lone mode NATO nations tin genuinely deter aggressor nations similar Russia and China is by collectively expanding each NATO nation's capabilities to lend to the alliance’s corporate defense. 

"We recognize that's a tradeoff," Rubio said. "We person to bash it each azygous twelvemonth successful our state – I guarantee you that we besides person home needs.

"But we've prioritized defence due to the fact that of the relation we've played successful the world, and we privation our partners to bash the same," Rubio confirmed.