“NO MORE LAUGHING”: TRUMP DECLARES U.S. DOMINANCE AS NATO MEMBERS RACE TOWARD 5% DEFENSE TARGET:

THE HAGUE — Speaking at a NATO working session, Donald Trump asserted U.S. leadership in the alliance and said the days of America being mocked over defense spending are over.

“We are the largest contributor to NATO monetarily, and maybe otherwise, and the strongest military anywhere in the world. And they respect us as a country,” Trump said. “Again, they didn’t respect us two years ago. They laughed at us. NATO laughed at us. Everybody laughed at us. They don’t laugh anymore. There’s no more laughing this year.”

He credited his administration with driving major increases in allied defense budgets. “We invested a record $1 trillion in our armed forces, and we’re going to be asking for 1.5 trillion coming up. We have the money being spent on the best equipment anywhere in the world.”

Trump said leaders discussed progress toward a 5% defense spending target during the morning session. “Many of these countries are very rich, by the way. We don’t have to feel sorry for them, but it doesn’t mean they’re properly protected. It’s a big difference.”

According to Trump, “Some have truly answered the call, and others are making big changes.” He predicted all members would meet the commitment, adding that the U.S. would be “taking in over a trillion dollars a year toward defense.”

He contrasted current pledges with past levels, claiming: “They were 2%. They were actually 1%. I got him to 2% and I wanted to get him to five, and we got him to five.”

The remarks signal renewed pressure on NATO allies to dramatically expand military spending as geopolitical tensions rise.