The U.S. has for many years dedicated vast sums to its military while defense spending in Europe lapsed.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte insisted on Monday that Europe is incapable of defending itself without U.S. military support and would have to more than double current military spending targets to be able to do so.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and heightened global security concerns, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members increased defense spending, bringing their total defense spending to an estimated $1.

Perhaps at no other time in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s 75-plus year history has the alliance’s future faced greater uncertainty. President Donald Trump, a longtime NATO critic, has made the annexation of Greenland a key second-term objective,

With the Greenland crisis seemingly averted, the U.S. and its European allies still face a larger long-term challenge: Can their shaky marriage be saved?

Italy’s promise to raise defense spending to meet NATO targets will not impact the country’s social safety net, Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said.

NATO chief Mark Rutte defends Trump's impact on European defense spending, saying allies wouldn't have reached 2% GDP targets without his pressure.

Quick Read Themes Transatlantic Defense ETF (NATO) surged 65% over the past year. RTX, GE Aerospace and Boeing comprise nearly 25% of assets. Lockheed Martin missed Q2 2025 earnings by 77% and posted full-year earnings down 30% to $15.