Trump stirs controversy as he casts doubt over US commitment to NATO mutual defence guarantee

During the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague, U.S. President Donald Trump received a warm welcome from Dutch King Willem-Alexander and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at a royal dinner. While Trump praised the alliance, he also reignited debate over Article 5 by questioning U.S. defense commitments. Trump emphasized the need for members to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP or risk losing U.S. protection. His comments sparked both applause and protest, with demonstrators in The Hague criticizing his approach. King Willem-Alexander praised the bonds of unity and friendship, and Rutte announced that NATO had added $1 trillion in defense spending in the past decade—crediting Trump for the push. European leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen and Giorgia Meloni, attended the summit, which highlighted rising expectations for military investment and the alliance’s evolving role in global security.