Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the country does not have to shy away from talking up its record on defence spending, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of Germany’s past efforts as “ridiculous”.

Merz stated that Germany is doubling its defence budget within four years, which is the greatest effort the country has ever made to strengthen its defence capabilities.

Defence Spending Commitment

Merz emphasized that Germany will reach the 3.5% benchmark set in The Hague as early as 2029, well ahead of the agreed deadline. This commitment is part of NATO’s efforts to increase defence spending, with the goal of spending 3.5% of GDP on core defence items by 2035.

The issue of defence spending has been a point of contention between the U.S. and its NATO allies, with Trump criticizing the spending records of countries like Germany. However, Merz remains confident in Germany’s ability to defend its military spending push.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.