London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Trump to cut Nato funding days before London summit

Trump to cut Nato funding days before London summit

Donald Trump‘s administration will cut US funding to Nato in an agreement reached in the days before a summit to mark the transatlantic alliance’s anniversary in London.​
The administration sought to cut its contribution to Nato’s direct budget from 22 per cent to around 16 per cent, CNN reported, citing US defence officials.

It would bring its contribution closer to Germany, which pays 14.8 per cent. The UK pays 10 per cent.

Other Nato members are expected to make up the deficit, US and Nato officials told CNN.

“Under the new formula, cost shares attributed to most European Allies and Canada will go up, while the US share will come down,” one Nato official said. “This is an important demonstration of Allies’ commitment to the Alliance and to fairer burden-sharing.”

The direct budget funds the cost of maintaining Nato’s headquarters in Belgium and some military operations and is separate to national defence budgets Mr Trump has frequently criticised.

Mr Trump has repeatedly attacked the alliance, which he described in a tweet as “obsolete and disproportionately too expensive (and unfair) for the US”.

He has complained other Nato members do not pay enough to maintain their own defence through not meeting the 2 per cent Nato defence spending target.

One US defence official told CNN the money saved by the US would go to fund other US military and security programmes in Europe

Mr Trump will join other world leaders in London for the 70th anniversary Nato summit on 3-4 December, where he is expected to repeat his demand for European nations and Canada to increase their defence spending.

The meeting comes after Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, described the “brain death” of Nato due to waning US support.

Mr Macron later said his comments had served as a useful wake-up call to alliance members.

“The questions I have asked are open questions, that we haven’t solved yet,” Mr Macron said at a joint news conference in Paris with Jens Stoltenburg, Nato’s secretary general.

“Peace in Europe, the post-INF [Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty] situation, the relationship with Russia, the Turkey issue, who’s the enemy? So I say: as long as these questions are not resolved, let’s not negotiate about cost-sharing and burden-sharing, or this or the other.”

“So we maybe needed a wake-up call. I’m glad it was delivered, and I’m glad everyone now thinks we should rather think about our strategic goals,” Mr Macron said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×