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What Trump And The Rest Of NATO Want From Each Other

President Donald Trump is expected to make a key endorsement at a NATO summit Thursday.

What Trump And The Rest Of NATO Want From Each Other
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After months of criticizing NATO, President Donald Trump is attending his first NATO summit.

Trump has repeatedly called on other countries in the military alliance to share the burden of both spending and action for defense.

"Twenty-three of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying and what they're supposed to be paying for their defense," Trump said during a speech at NATO's headquarters. 

And NATO's secretary general announced two points on the meeting's agenda that many interpret as nods to Trump.

All member states have previously pledged to work toward spending 2 percent of their GDP on defense. The secretary general now wants countries to present plans on how they'll reach that level of spending.  

Trump Prods Italy On NATO Spending
Trump Prods Italy On NATO Spending

Trump Prods Italy On NATO Spending

Italy's defense spending and NATO featured heavily in President Trump's joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

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The other agenda item is NATO joining the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS. Trump has urged NATO states to do more in the fight against the terrorist group.  

Since all the member countries were already a part of the Global Coalition, some see NATO's joining as more of a symbolic gesture

Trump isn't the only one wanting more commitment, though. NATO has been seeking Trump's endorsement of Article 5 –– the guarantee the U.S. would step in if another member nation were attacked. 

Trump has previously said agreeing to Article 5 depends on whether other countries increase their spending. But he's now expected to make the endorsement on Thursday.