The White House has announced that it expects all NATO members to meet the two per cent spending target on defense by the upcoming NATO summit in June. This demand puts pressure on allies like Canada, which has consistently fallen short of the target and does not plan to reach it until 2032. U.S. President Donald Trump has been advocating for increased defense spending among NATO members and reduced reliance on U.S. security. The goal is for all NATO members to meet the minimum requirement by the summit in June and then strive to exceed it.
Canada is one of the eight out of 32 NATO members that currently do not meet the two per cent defense spending target. The Canadian government has committed to reaching 1.7 per cent by 2030 and aims to achieve two per cent by 2032. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced this timeline during the last NATO summit in Washington, D.C., but doubts have been raised by the parliamentary budget officer regarding the feasibility of this goal. U.S. lawmakers have expressed concerns that Canada’s commitments are not progressing quickly enough given the current global security situation.
Defence Minister Bill Blair has stated that it is possible for Canada to reach the NATO spending target earlier than 2032, but has not provided a specific timeline for achieving this. Chrystia Freeland, a candidate in the Liberal leadership race, has committed to reaching the two per cent target by 2027 if she wins. Mark Carney, another contender in the leadership race, aims to achieve this goal by 2030. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has not set a timeline for meeting the NATO spending threshold but has pledged to work towards it while cutting unnecessary expenses.
Trump’s push for increased defense spending from NATO allies has raised concerns about his commitment to the alliance, but the White House emphasizes that the U.S. fully supports its NATO allies and its commitment to collective defense under Article 5. The U.S. insists that it is time for European allies to increase their contributions to NATO and take on a greater share of the burden. The upcoming NATO summit in June will provide an opportunity for leaders to address these issues and discuss how to ensure that all members meet the minimum spending target. It remains to be seen how countries like Canada will respond to this pressure and whether they will adjust their defense spending plans to meet the requirements set by the alliance.
