The U.K. Suggests Raising NATO Spending Benchmark

What’s happening: The United Kingdom announced it will increase defense spending to over 2.5 percent of GDP and urged other NATO member states to follow suit, proposing 2.5 percent as a new benchmark.

Why it matters: If NATO members increase defense spending, it could ease pressure on the United States to pick up the tab. American leaders urged member states to meet NATO’s 2 percent of GDP target for annual defense spending, but a majority refused — or promised to ante up later. They earned former president Trump’s scorn for their focus on bloated welfare program spending while being defended by American dollars. Trump remains committed to the alliance, providing European allies meet defense spending targets.

More on the spending increase: The U.K.’s 75 billion pound increase (about 93 billion dollars) would rank it in the top five NATO states for defense spending as a percentage of GDP. Britain currently spends just over 2 percent and plans to incrementally increase that figure to 2.5 percent by 2029.

Keep in mind: The defense spending increase could also be a political tactic meant for domestic consumption. The governing Conservative Party is headed toward an electoral wipeout in upcoming elections. One of its central campaign themes has been British military strength, with a widely-mocked ad boasting that Britain is “the second most powerful country in the world.”

What’s next: It is unlikely that the U.K. will spur a NATO-wide spending revolution.