United States President Donald Trump has renewed controversy after claiming that he single-handedly compelled NATO member states to increase their defence spending and stopped Russia from taking over Ukraine. In a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump said that before his presidency, most NATO countries failed to meet the alliance’s defence spending benchmark, leaving the United States to bear a disproportionate share of the costs.
Trump asserted that his pressure forced NATO allies to raise defence spending to as much as five percent of their Gross Domestic Product, insisting that member states now meet their financial obligations promptly. He added that many observers had doubted such an outcome was possible, but claimed it was achieved through his personal influence and relationships with allied leaders.