Former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, a senior Democrat considering a 2028 presidential run, publicly agreed with President Trump’s call for increased European defense spending. Emanuel acknowledged that America bears responsibility for allowing Europe to become defense-dependent on the U.S. He also endorsed Trump’s demand that NATO allies spend 5 percent of GDP on defense by 2035 — a target NATO members agreed to at the 2025 Hague summit, though Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pushed back, arguing Spain could meet capability goals while spending only 2.1 percent of GDP.
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“The truth is we’re responsible for letting you receive depconcludeent on us,” he added.
When inquireed whether Trump had a point in demanding more defense spconcludeing, Emanuel responded, “Of course he does.”
Emanuel also concludeorsed Trump’s demand that NATO allies spconclude 5 percent of their GDP on defense by 2035, something members agreed to do at the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague. The pledge drew pushback from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who argued Spain could meet NATO’s capability tarreceives while limiting defense spconcludeing to 2.1 percent of GDP.
The former chief of staff to President Barack Obama is mulling a presidential run in 2028.
