**NATO Summit Sees Major Defense Spending Boost in Response to Russia**

In a significant NATO summit, President Trump's push for increased military spending from European nations received a warm reception, resulting in a historic agreement geared towards enhanced defense capabilities.

The NATO summit held in The Hague wrapped up with a unanimous agreement among European leaders to elevate their military spending to 5% of their national income by the year 2035. This decision responds to rising concerns over Russian militarization and fulfills longstanding demands from former President Trump for European countries to take greater responsibility for their own defense.

The plan delineates a new allocation framework, with 3.5% directed towards traditional military expenses—such as troops, equipment, and munitions—markedly up from the existing benchmark of 2%. Additionally, 1.5% will be dedicated to “militarily adjacent” projects, covering improvements in infrastructure, healthcare, cybersecurity, and public resilience initiatives.

President Trump expressed satisfaction with the summit's outcomes. “This was a tremendous summit, and I enjoyed it very much,” he shared during a press briefing. He acknowledged the vital role the United States plays in safeguarding Europe, reiterating the dependence of European defense on American support.

Throughout his presidency, Trump has criticized NATO allies as “freeloaders,” expressing disdain for what he considers an unfair burden on American security resources. His administration, represented by figures such as Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has suggested that Europe must shoulder more of the financial responsibility for its security needs.

Despite having previously aired thoughts about potentially withdrawing U.S. support from NATO, the summit's final communiqué reaffirmed a commitment to collective defense as outlined in Article 5 of the NATO treaty—a clause that Trump has been hesitant to endorse publicly, yet accepts privately.