Trump’s Next NATO Challenge: Reward Allies Who Pull Their Weight

In 1950, the Truman administration and America’s newly minted NATO allies convened at The Hague to lay the foundation for the alliance’s first defense plan. The result was an integrated defense architecture, coordinated military planning, and a Western alliance determined to prevent another European war by means of credible deterrence.

Seventy-five years later, President Trump returned the alliance to The Hague for a historic summit, where its members committed to generational defense investments. Nearly every ally pledged to move toward spending 5 percent of its GDP on national security.

About the Author

John Noonan

John Noonan is an adviser to POLARIS National Security. He is a former congressional staffer and veteran of the United States Air Force.

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In 1950, the Truman administration and America’s newly minted NATO allies convened at The Hague to lay the foundation for the alliance’s first defense plan. The result was an integrated defense architecture, coordinated military planning, and a Western alliance determined to prevent another European war by means of credible deterrence.

Seventy-five years later, President Trump returned the alliance to The Hague for a historic summit, where its members committed to generational defense investments. Nearly every ally pledged to move toward spending 5 percent of its GDP on national security.