All 32 North Atlantic Treaty Organization members are projected to reach the alliance’s expectation of spending 2% of GDP on defence after receiving intense pressure from President Donald Trump to hit the minimum target. 

Trump has long expressed concern that the United States is unfairly bearing the weight of supporting Europe’s defense capabilities, pressing NATO partners not only to meet the 2% target but also to push toward a 5% mark. 

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NATO data released on Thursday showed that Europe has made progress in meeting Trump’s expectations. Thirty-two countries spent at least 2% of GDP on military expenditures, up from last year’s record of 23 countries that met the target. 

 Fewer than a third of the countries were on track to meet the 2% target until Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, leading to widespread fear in Europe that the conflict could metastasize into a broader war. 

Since assuming office for the second time in January, Trump has challenged NATO allies to reach a 5% defense spending pledge. In June, the president achieved a major victory in that respect when the alliance agreed to reach the expanded target by 2035, with Trump hailing the $1 trillion commitment as “a monumental win” for the U.S.

“Your leadership on this has already produced $1 trillion in extra spending from European allies since 2016, and the decision today will produce trillions more for our common defense to make us stronger and fairer by equalizing spending between America and America’s allies,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told Trump. 

When measured as a percentage of GDP, the U.S. is not the highest spender on NATO’s defense budget. The country’s output stands at 3.38%, coming in third behind Poland and Estonia. 

However, when measured by total dollar amounts, the U.S. funded around two-thirds of the alliance’s total military expenditure in 2024, and footed the bill for roughly 60% of defense spending in the latest data.

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Spain has drawn particular scrutiny from the U.S. as it is the lowest-paying member of NATO in terms of the percentage of its GDP that goes toward military spending.

“NATO is going to have to deal with Spain,” Trump said in June. “Spain has been notorious for low pay.”