Concerns in Europe that Donald Trump might disengage the US from Nato would become “much less relevant” if all countries in the alliance hit their defence spending targets, said Grant Shapps, Britain’s defence secretary.
Trump — a declared Nato-sceptic, and also the presumptive Republican nominee in November’s US presidential election — has previously threatened to withdraw from the military alliance that guarantees Europe’s defence and security.
He has recently said he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to Nato countries that fail to hit their military spending target of 2 per cent of gross domestic product, while Russia’s rapid military rearmament has compounded European security worries.