Welcome to the latest episode of the NATO soap opera where Europe is finally starting to pay its share of the bill, but is this really the end of American dominance or just another show for the public? Senator Marco Rubio doesn’t hold back praise for Donald Trump, who, he says, was right to demand that European allies increase their NATO spending. Before Trump even took office, only three members were spending two percent of their GDP on defense. Today, thanks to pressure and, of course, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the number of countries that have reached or exceeded that threshold has jumped from three to 31! Yes, you read that right — 31 NATO members now take their obligations seriously, not just America carrying the entire security burden.
Rubio claims European countries have been robbing American taxpayers for years by contributing almost nothing to joint defense. But now, with the new agreement from the NATO summit in June, Europe has finally realized it must fight for itself. When all members reach the five percent GDP target, which is way above the current two percent minimum, NATO will have a staggering 1 trillion dollars for defense. That’s a number that sounds like science fiction but is now on track to become reality.
Of course, it’s not all that simple. Increasing defense spending isn’t just a number on paper. It means more soldiers, better weapons, and serious readiness to defend. And all this comes at a time when the world is full of uncertainty and Russia is baring its teeth in Ukraine. Will Europe really keep its promises or will it all collapse like a house of cards? One thing is clear — America has been carrying the security burden on its shoulders for years, and now it’s time for Europe to show it can stand on its own feet.
If you think this is just another political game, you might not be far off. But the facts are clear: numbers don’t lie, and the pressure on European allies is higher than ever. Will Europe finally stop being the “free rider” of American security? Or will it all end in empty promises again? Drop your thoughts, maybe you have the answer to this NATO puzzle!
