Only 23 of 32 NATO member nations currently meet the alliance's benchmark of spending at least two percent of GDP on defense, a situation that the Trump administration has made a central grievance in US-Europe relations. The president has repeatedly raised the possibility of withdrawing US protection from allies deemed to be free-riding, statements that have galvanized European rearmament programs even as they create diplomatic friction.
Germany, France, and Poland are leading a significant European defense buildout that is the largest since the Cold War. Defense procurement timelines remain measured in years rather than months, however, and European defense industrial capacity has been stretched by the demands of supporting Ukraine. Several member states are requesting waivers from two percent targets while they implement multi-year spending ramp-up plans.
