The return of Trump will once again put European defense spending levels at the center of the United States’ approach to NATO. Over the past several years, NATO members have boosted investments, with about 20 out of 32 members hitting the alliance’s benchmark of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expects the return of Donald Trump as US president will "turbo-charge" the Western alliance. "With President Trump back in office we will turbo-charge defence spending and production,

NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Monday the alliance's military capability targets may require members to spend as much as 3.7% of GDP on defence but this figure could be reduced with innovation and joint procurement.

NATO boss Mark Rutte said Trump "has been right many times" and played it cool when grilled by members of the European Parliament on the president-elect's Greenland plans.