The White House on Monday (June 23) confirmed that President Donald Trump will attend a high-stakes NATO meeting on Tuesday (June 24), where he is expected to once again press alliance members to significantly increase their defense spending.
The White House has not released details of any bilateral meetings Trump may hold on the sidelines of the summit.
The summit comes at a critical time as tensions escalate in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Renewed pressure on allies
Trump, who has long criticised NATO members for what he sees as inadequate financial contributions, is expected to double down on demands that all member states meet — and exceed — the alliance’s defense spending target of 2% of GDP.
Tuesday’s meeting takes place amid a more volatile global landscape, with growing concerns over Russia’s military activities on Ukraine and renewed instability in the Middle East following Iran’s nuclear advances.
A test of NATO’s cohesion
While NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and several European leaders have publicly acknowledged the need to invest more in defense, there remains a gap in contributions — with countries like Germany and Canada still falling short of the 2% threshold.
Trump’s attendance at the summit marks his first major NATO appearance since announcing his 2024 reelection bid.