(Newswire.net— July 13, 2018) — French President Emanuel Macron denies allegations by US President Donald Trump that NATO members have agreed to increase defense spending to more than the mandatory two percent of GDP. The Times defense editor Deborah Hynes Tweeted citing a source that claims Trump told allies: “2% is a joke. 4% is what people should be spending. We are being played for fools.”
Media reported that Trump said members expressed readiness to allocate more money for defense. The French President Emmanuel Macron, however, says that NATO members will stick to 2% GDP allocations.
“There is a statement released yesterday, it confirms the target of two percent to 2024. That’s all,” Macron said.
US President Donald Trump has reportedly told NATO allies that if members do not boost spending the US would do their “own thing,” however, he didn’t explain what “own thing” means.
In a joint statement from the NATO summit, the commitment undertaken by members after Russia’s accession of Crimea was intended to stop the reduction of defense costs and start spending more on military as member countries economy grows.
The French president denied reports that US President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw the United States from the NATO alliance during a dispute over funding a joint military alliance.
“President Trump never, at any time, either publicly or personally, has threatened to withdraw from NATO,” Macron said.
“The United States’ commitment to NATO remains very strong,” Trump told reporters at a surprise news conference following an emergency session of NATO members held to address his threats, CNBC reports.
According to Macron, leaders of the 29 Alliance members met in an extraordinary session Thursday morning at the request of Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General.