Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated Wednesday that President Donald Trump has effectively "won the argument" regarding NATO defense spending, attributing the shift to years of U.S. pressure that has prompted Canada and other European allies to increase their contributions to the alliance's security.
Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Carney indicated that allies increasingly recognize the necessity of augmenting military expenditures due to persistent security threats, particularly from Russia. "Countries realize they need to take more responsibility. They see the direct threats," Carney told reporters.
Carney's remarks signify a notable change in tone, as he has previously been a vocal critic of Trump's trade policies, tariffs, and rhetoric regarding Canada. Despite past disagreements, Carney acknowledged the tangible results of Trump's sustained campaign to encourage greater defense investment from NATO members.
Canada has recently announced several new defense initiatives, including a submarine procurement program, an agreement for secure Arctic military communications, and a significant contract for missiles for its future fighter aircraft. Carney noted that Canada's defense spending, which was approximately 1.4% of its gross domestic product when his government took office, is projected to reach 4% before the end of the decade, according to NATO's accounting standards.
At the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague, alliance leaders agreed to a new objective of allocating 5% of GDP to defense and security by 2035. This commitment more than doubles the alliance's long-standing 2% benchmark. The pledge followed repeated criticisms from Trump, who argued that NATO members were overly reliant on the U.S. for their defense and were not contributing their fair share. Trump had at times suggested the U.S. might withdraw from the alliance if European nations did not substantially increase their defense spending.
However, the alliance lacks a formal mechanism to enforce compliance with spending targets. The Trump administration has instead increasingly utilized U.S. economic leverage to pressure allies falling short of their commitments. For instance, Trump recently singled out Spain, labeling it a "terrible partner in NATO" after Madrid declined to commit to the 5% target, and urged a halt to trade and tourism with the country. Spain has maintained that it can meet NATO's military capability requirements while spending approximately 2.1% of its GDP on defense.
Larger member nations, including Britain and France, have also pledged to move towards the 5% target, though both currently spend well below that level. This raises questions about the extent to which the Trump administration will pressure other major allies to accelerate their defense spending. NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker stated on July 1 that the administration was considering countermeasures for countries failing to meet their 5% target.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte corroborated Carney's assessment, remarking that Trump had achieved what several U.S. presidents had pursued for decades. "President Trump has been able to finally get done what, since Eisenhower, American presidents tried to do, which was to equalize defence spending between Europe and the United States," Rutte said.