Trump to send 5,000 troops to Poland as NATO touts defense spending

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Friday that NATO will spend hundreds of billions of dollars on defense in the coming years, hours after US President Donald Trump promised to send thousands of new troops to the eastern flank.

Speaking to reporters ahead of a NATO meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, on Friday, Rutte said “the money is really coming” and allies are “making more and more commitments”.

Last year, NATO member states agreed to raise their defense spending targets from 2 percent to 5 percent of gross domestic product, with the goal of reaching those levels by 2035.

Rutte said on Friday that most of the alliance’s 32 members were accelerating the path to a 5% spending commitment.

“This is literally hundreds of billions of dollars over the years.” [of dollars] extra defense spending,” he told reporters.

Rutte said that Sweden, the newest member of NATO, which announced this week that it will invest $4 billion in defense, is on track to reach the 5% target by 2030.

“The money is great, but we also need to spend it… on the men and women in uniform, of course, but also to make sure they have what they need to deter and defend, which is defense industry output.” he added.

“There is an intense discussion going on with the defense industry and the financial sector about doing what is necessary to increase production by producing more instead of increasing prices. Good news is coming, we are making progress, but there is still a lot to be done.”

Rutte’s comments on Friday came after US President Donald Trump reversed course a week after the Pentagon vowed to deploy 5,000 new troops to Poland. canceled It plans to send 4 thousand military personnel to the country on the border with Ukraine.

“Based on the successful election of the current President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, whom I am proud to endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will send an additional 5,000 Soldiers to Poland,” Trump said on Truth Social on Thursday. he said.

CNBC has reached out to the Polish government for comment on Trump’s announcement.

The Pentagon said Tuesday that Poland “has demonstrated both the capability and determination to defend itself.”

“Other NATO allies should follow suit,” he added.

In 2025, Poland spent an estimated 4.48% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, making it NATO’s largest defense spender as a percentage of its economy.

The United States spent an estimated 3.22 percent of its GDP on defense last year, making it the sixth-highest spender in the alliance by the same measure.

Still, in dollar terms, the United States remains by far the alliance’s largest spender on defense. NATO data shows the United States spent an estimated $845 billion on defense last year, dwarfing the $559 billion spent by the rest of the alliance.

NATO member states decided to increase defense spending last year following pressure from the Trump administration for Europe to take more responsibility for its own security.

Trump continued to criticize NATO, threatening to withdraw the United States from the alliance over its reluctance to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He hosted Poland’s Nawrocki at the White House in 2025 after the right-wing Nawrocki defeated the candidate representing Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist, pro-European party in the country’s presidential race.

Asked on Friday about Trump’s plans to deploy new troops on NATO’s eastern border, Rutte said he welcomed the announcement and that the alliance’s military commanders were working on the details.

“Let’s be clear: the path we are on is a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO, ensuring that over time we will be less dependent on just one ally, the United States,” he said, adding that this would give Washington “the option to turn to other priorities.”

“European allies are spending more. This is necessary not only to equalize the amount we spend with the United States, but also to make sure we have what we need to deter and defend against our enemies, including our long-term threat, Russia,” Rutte said. he added. “The United States will play a key role in Europe… but over time you will see a step-by-step process where the Europeans become more prominent.”

David Stubbs, chief investment strategist at AlphaCore Wealth Advisory, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Friday that Rutte has done a “tremendous job” as leader of NATO and noted that the United States is still engaged in the alliance despite the Trump administration’s “strong” rhetoric.

“For investors, European defense spending is coming; it will be a megatrend in the next 10 to 15 years,” he said. “The future is a stronger Europe within a stronger NATO.”