BELGIUM: Trump: NATO allies need ”to pay their fair share”

Donald Trump has hit out at NATO, saying its members must start “paying their fair share” of defence costs. Speaking to alliance leaders on Thursday in Brussels for the first time, the US president said massive amounts of money are still owed. He urged allies attending the meeting in Belgium to meet their financial obligations […]

Donald Trump has hit out at NATO, saying its members must start “paying their fair share” of defence costs.

Speaking to alliance leaders on Thursday in Brussels for the first time, the US president said massive amounts of money are still owed.

He urged allies attending the meeting in Belgium to meet their financial obligations and spend more for collective NATO defence.

“Twenty-three of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying and what they’re supposed to be paying for their defence,” Trump said at NATO’s new headquarters in Brussels.

In accordance with his America First policy, Trump said “is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States and many of these nations owe massive amounts of money from the last years”.