politics
Global military spending hits record high
Key takeaways
- President Trump has repeatedly pressured European partners in NATO to step up their defense spending, even as he has flirted with leaving the group.
- Though the year-over-year increase was significantly smaller than the 9.7 percent rise from 2023 to 2024, it s still noteworthy given the United States recorded its sharpest single-year decline in defense spending.
- Given the range of current crises, as well as many states long-term military spending targets, this growth will probably continue through 2026 and beyond.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
The world s military expenditures — the share of global gross domestic product (GDP) meant for armed forces — went up from 2.4 percent in 2024 to 2.5 percent in 2025, driven in large part by a sharp increase in European spending.
President Trump has repeatedly pressured European partners in NATO to step up their defense spending, even as he has flirted with leaving the group.
Though the year-over-year increase was significantly smaller than the 9.7 percent rise from 2023 to 2024, it s still noteworthy given the United States recorded its sharpest single-year decline in defense spending.
Article preview — originally published by The Hill. Full story at the source.
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