"NATO Chief Acknowledges Valid Point of Spending Criticism as Record 18 Members Meet Defense Spending Target"

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of allies and defense spending after former President Donald Trump's comments suggesting the US might not protect countries that do not spend enough on defense. Stoltenberg stated that 18 NATO allies are expected to meet the 2% GDP defense spending target this year, with overall military spending reaching a record high. He highlighted the significance of NATO for US security and noted the increase in European allies' military spending as a response to the criticism. Germany is set to meet the 2% target for the first time this year, with eleven allies expected to meet the target by 2023.