German politics and experts have opposed Donald Trump's idea of increasing defense spending to 5 percent of GDP.
German MEP and defense expert Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann believes that increased defense spending by NATO countries is necessary, but Donald Trump's demand for a five percent target is excessive.
"We should not be fooled by every statement that Trump makes. We are not in a bargain here," said the MEP for Germany's Editorial Network.
At a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, US President-elect Trump demanded that partner countries invest five percent of their gross domestic product in the future instead of two percent previously targeted.
The chairman of the defense committee, Marcus Faber, considers that five percent is too high. "The 32 NATO countries will have to agree on a new common minimum beyond the two percent target," the FDP politician told German media outlet Die Welt. "But it will be more like three percent than five percent. And this will be decided by consensus", said Faber.
Defense spending in the transatlantic alliance was already a focal point of contention during Trump's first term in office. The Republican had threatened that the US would withdraw from the military alliance if the partner countries do not meet their obligation to invest at least two percent of GDP in defense.
SPD foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner called the five percent target "complete madness". "We don't need more guns in the world, we need less," Stegner told Politico's DC Decoded newsletter. "Then you might as well abolish democracy outright if you no longer need a democratic majority for the defense budget," he concluded.
Trump has often complained that most NATO members are not paying their fair share, and he called for an increase in NATO defense contributions during the campaign. (A2 Televizion)
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