NATO's Trillion-Dollar Rearmament Faces a Decade-Long Political Test

European NATO members and Canada have spent $1 trillion on additional defense since 2016. At an early July 2026 summit, allies committed to spending 5% of GDP annually on defense by 2035. The real challenge: sustaining that pledge through budget pressures, elections, and competing fiscal priorities over nine years. Governments already managing debt and aging populations may struggle to maintain the consensus needed to deliver.