“Buy More U.S. Weapons”: “Daddy” Trump Pushes Military-Industrial Complex on NATO Countries

President Donald Trump has returned to Washington after a NATO summit where leaders agreed to increase their military spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, more than doubling the current target of 2%. The increase comes after years of pressure from Trump, who accuses other countries in the military alliance of not spending enough. “What he is interested in is catering to the military-industrial complex of the United States,” says Gilbert Achcar, emeritus professor of development studies and international relations at SOAS, University of London. “When he asks these NATO countries to increase their military expenditure, he means ‘buy more U.S. weapons.’ That’s what he is doing. He’s a salesperson for the military-industrial complex.”