Trump to take on NATO summit: Will allies step up or stall?



President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the NATO summit in the Hague, Netherlands, held on June 24 and 25, where world leaders are anticipated to cover a wide range of pressing topics.

The annual meeting provides Trump with an opportunity to promote American interests over globalist ideals while reducing the United States' defense burdens, potentially reshaping the alliance.

'President Trump will be calling on NATO allies to step up to the plate and invest in the defense of Europe.'

This will be the first NATO summit hosted in the Netherlands since the alliance's founding in 1949. Approximately 9,000 attendees are expected, including 6,000 officials representing various countries.

Defense spending

A top concern for the Trump administration is ensuring that American taxpayers do not carry an unfair defense burden compared to their NATO counterparts.

Trump has maintained a firm stance with NATO allies, pressuring the countries to substantially increase defense spending from 2% of their GDP to 5% as part of the president's efforts to push for burden-sharing among the nations.

Nile Gardiner, the director of the Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom and Bernard and Barbara Lomas Fellow, told Blaze News that defense spending is expected to "dominate" most of the summit.

"This is the top priority for the U.S. administration. President Trump will be calling on NATO allies to step up to the plate and invest in the defense of Europe. I think you'll be looking for all of the alliance members to pledge to spend 5% of GDP on defense," Gardiner stated.

NATO's 32 allies previously agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

With ongoing concerns of escalation from Russia, NATO's latest plan aims for 5% of GDP for defense budgets, including 3.5% for military spending and 1.5% for security-related infrastructure.

RELATED: Trump touches down in Canada for G7 summit. Here's what's on the menu.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Photo by SIMON WOHLFAHRT/AFP via Getty Images

Last month, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he expects the ally countries to agree to the new goal during the upcoming annual summit.

"Let's say that this 5% — but I will not say what is the individual breakup, but it will be considerably north of 3% when it comes to the hard spend, and it will be also a target on defense-related spending," Rutte remarked.

‘The reality right now is Europe is not in a position to defend itself.’

The Financial Times reported in late May that Spain was the last major holdout on NATO's plan to increase defense spending.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated last month that when he met with José Manuel Albares, Spain's foreign minister, he "urged Spain to join Allies in committing 5% of GDP to defense."

Albares responded, "There was an exchange [with Rubio], and both of us expressed our views very clearly. I insisted that it was a huge effort to reach 2% and that the debate right now needs to focus on capabilities."

Spain currently commits only 1.28% of its GDP to defense spending. In April, Pedro Sánchez, Spain's prime minister, announced a plan to meet NATO's existing 2% requirement for the first time in 2025.

A White House official confirmed to Blaze News that Trump "intends to secure a historic 5% defense spending pledge from NATO allies that will advance stability in Europe and around the world."

NATO members reached an agreement on Sunday to increase their defense spending target to 5% of GDP. Yet Spain opted out.

Sánchez declared, “We fully respect the legitimate desire of other countries to increase their defense investment, but we are not going to do so.”

On Monday morning, Rutte held a press conference before the summit, confirming that NATO members had agreed to the new defense spending goals.

Peace through strength

The Trump administration has prioritized facilitating peace talks between Ukraine and Russia to end the war and reduce the United States' aid commitments. Meanwhile, tensions between Israel and Iran also remain ongoing. The U.S. launched airstrikes against three of Iran's nuclear enrichment sites over the weekend.

Resolving these conflicts is certain to be another key topic at the upcoming summit. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker previously stated that the Trump administration will begin talks with allies later this year about withdrawing American troops from Europe.

While Whitaker previously stated that "nothing has been determined," he noted that the administration would converse with NATO allies after the summit.

"It's more than 30 years of U.S. desire [to reduce troops in Europe], President Trump just said enough, this is going to happen and it's going to happen now. This is going to be orderly, but we are not going to have any more patience for foot-dragging in this situation. ... We just need to work through the practical consequences," Whitaker remarked.

RELATED: Lindsey Graham champions sending troops to Iran despite Americans' weariness of endless war

US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker. Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Earlier this month, Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, stated that Russia would not end the war with Ukraine until NATO withdraws its military forces from Eastern Europe, citing it as a central cause of the war.

Ryabkov stated that America must take actionable steps to address "the root causes" behind Russia's security disputes.

"Among these causes, NATO expansion is in the foreground. Without resolving this fundamental and most acute problem for us, it is simply impossible to resolve the current conflict in the Euro-Atlantic region," he said. "Given the nature and genesis of the Ukrainian crisis, provoked by the previous U.S. authorities and the West as a whole, this conflict naturally acts, well, if you like, as a test, a trial, which checks the seriousness of Washington's intentions to straighten out our relations."

Trump stated that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 14, mainly about the Iran conflict. He noted, "Much less time was spent talking about Russia/Ukraine," but he indicated that there will be future discussions regarding that war.

"He is doing the planned prisoner swaps — large numbers of prisoners are being exchanged, immediately, from both sides. The call lasted approximately 1 hour. He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end," Trump wrote in a post on social media.

‘Trump will be urging strong support from NATO members for Israel unity, calling for an end to Iran's nuclear program.’

Trump attended the Group of Seven summit in Canada, which was held from June 15 through 17, but left before the event's final day when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Rutte joined a breakfast discussion about the ongoing conflict. Several Cabinet members, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, remained at the event to represent the U.S.

Zelenskyy, who will also be attending the NATO summit, has been pushing for allies to implement stricter sanctions against Russia.

Gardiner stated that he anticipated the Trump administration would press European allies to increase military production to ensure that they have the industrial capacity necessary to "produce large amounts of tanks, weapons, aircraft, [and] ammunition to use for the defense of Europe against Russia."

"The reality right now is Europe is not in a position to defend itself," Gardiner continued. "I think, also, President Trump will be urging European NATO allies to stop buying Russian energy."

He noted that European NATO members purchased roughly €7 billion worth of liquefied natural gas from Moscow.

"They are directly helping to fund the Russian war machine," Gardiner said. "In fact, European NATO allies spend more money buying Russian gas than they do in terms of military assistance in Ukraine."

RELATED: A treacherous week for America First (and Israel, too)

NATO 75th anniversary celebratory event on July 9, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Gardiner added that recent conflict in the Middle East would also likely be front and center during the summit.

"Trump will be urging strong support from NATO members for Israel unity," Gardiner stated.

Trump has repeatedly stated that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons.

"For 40 years, they've been saying 'death to America,' 'death to Israel,' 'death' to anybody else that they didn't like," Trump told reporters on Wednesday. "If you go back 15 years, I was saying, 'We cannot let Iran get a nuclear weapon.'"

After bombing Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities, Trump warned that Iran would face further strikes if its leaders fail to reach a peace agreement with Israel.

During the Monday press conference, Rutte addressed the United States' recent strikes against Iran.

"When it comes to NATO's stance on Iran's nuclear program, allies have long agreed that Iran must not develop a nuclear weapon. Allies have repeatedly urged Iran to meet its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty," Rutte stated.

A reporter asked Rutte whether he has concerns that the U.S. strike on Iran would result in the Trump administration deprioritizing NATO.

"I don't think so," he replied. "The news about Iran is, at this moment, grabbing all the headlines, and it is, of course, important news, but this summit is really about making sure that the whole of NATO, 1 billion people, will be safe, not only today but also three, five, seven years from now."

"Let's not forget, Iran is heavily involved in the fight of Russia against Ukraine," Rutte continued. "No doubt it will emerge in the discussions."

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Ukraine drone strikes just changed EVERYTHING about warfare



For years, Glenn Beck has been warning of the changes coming to warfare. The next major war, he predicted, would be fought not with machine guns and fighter pilots but with artificial intelligence and drones.

Last weekend proved him right.

On Sunday, June 1, Ukraine launched a major drone attack, dubbed "Operation Spiderweb," targeting Russian air bases across five regions. Employing over 100 drones, Ukraine struck key military airfields, reportedly destroying or damaging around 41 Russian aircraft, including nuclear-capable bombers, causing an estimated $7 billion in damage.

Marine veteran and Glenn’s chief researcher, Jason Buttrill, says Operation Spiderweb just changed warfare forever.


From satellites to fracking rigs, conflict has long been the driver behind innovation, he explains. “Wars have always pushed technology.” Last weekend, Ukraine essentially turned “a $20,000 semi-truck into an aircraft carrier. That's what we're looking at right now.”

These drones “took out 30%” of Russia’s “strategic bombers,” says Glenn. “We’ve never been able to do anything like that.”

“The name of the game changed this weekend,” says Jason, calling Operation Spiderweb “a test drive.”

“Is that good or bad?” asks co-host Stu Burguiere. “There's an argument that if drones are killing drones, that's maybe a better place than where we've been over the past century where it's people that are doing all the dying.”

“That is the question of our times,” says Glenn.

Jason says his mind “goes to the same conclusion that the war planners of World War II had when they created the nuclear bomb.”

Warfare shifted from killing soldiers in World War I to bombing factories in World War II to weaken the enemy, but since factories and drone control centers are in cities where people are, drone warfare may end up killing many civilians.

Right now, Vladimir Putin and his security council are asking, “Where are these things being produced? Where are they being trained? Where are they learning to do these things? Where are they pushing the button to do these things?”

The answer, Jason says, is in “cities,” which is a “very bad thing” for Ukraine citizens considering “Russia does have the ability to counter.”

However, Ukrainian leaders just proved that “[they] do have cards,” and they are “not coming from a place of weakness,” Stu points out.

Will this revelation drive Russia to the peace table?

“How do you as Vladimir Putin address your people and say, ‘Hey, we just made peace after they just took down 30% of our strategic bombers?’” Glenn asks.

“I don't see how you can,” says Stu.

To hear more of the conversation, watch the clip above.

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JD Vance rips protesters for 'chasing' him, 3-year-old daughter



Vice President JD Vance was confronted near his Ohio home by a group of protesters over the weekend who questioned him about the war between Russia and Ukraine.

In a Saturday post on X, Vance slammed the demonstrators for "chasing" him while he was with his 3-year-old daughter.

'Selling them out!'

"Today while walking my 3 year old daughter a group of 'Slava Ukraini' protesters followed us around and shouted as my daughter grew increasingly anxious and scared," Vance wrote. "I decided to speak with the protesters in the hopes that I could trade a few minutes of conversation for them leaving my toddler alone. (Nearly all of them agreed.)"

He added, "It was a mostly respectful conversation, but if you're chasing a 3-year-old as part of a political protest, you're a s*** person."

— (@)

WCPO reported that the group of pro-Ukraine protesters were on their way to a nearby rally. Demonstrators held multi-day protests over the weekend, according to WKRC.

A video obtained by WCPO of Vance's exchange with the protesters showed the vice president responding to numerous questions and accusations.

"People are dying!" one woman shouted at Vance.

"We think it's in the best interest of our [own people] and frankly in the best interest of the Ukrainians for the war to stop," he responded.

Multiple protesters accused the Trump administration of betraying the Ukrainians.

"Selling them out!" one woman yelled repeatedly.

"With respect, ma'am, I disagree," Vance said. "I think that what we're doing is we're actually forcing a diplomatic settlement."

Protesters interrupted the vice president with more comments and questions, including accusing the administration of lacking integrity.

"It must be nice to go through life assuming that everybody who disagrees with you has no integrity," Vance responded.

When Vance announced he was ending the conversation after speaking with the protesters for roughly five minutes, one demonstrator insisted that he had "signed up for this job."

"That's what you agreed to," she added.

"Ma'am, I did not agree to have my 3-year-old — to have people run around and yell at her. And I did talk to you, and I had said, 'If I talk to you for a few minutes, will you leave my 3-year-old daughter alone?' And you said, 'Yes.' So I'd like you guys to respect that. Thank you all," Vance stated.

Ann Henry, the protester who shared the video with WCPO, told the news outlet that Vance misrepresented the exchange in his post on X.

"No one was chasing him," Henry said, claiming that the group spontaneously ran into the vice president.

"We all wanted it to be respectful and calm. We just really wanted to know what was really bothering us," she stated.

Henry credited Vance for speaking with them but added, "I just wish he wouldn't have characterized it the way he did on [X]."

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4 things Joe Biden just did to SABOTAGE Trump before his inauguration



When Trump was declared the victor in the 2024 election, Joe Biden surprised everyone with his cordiality toward his political opponent — the man he’s been calling Hitler and a fascist for years. The two presidents sat down and shook hands, and Biden congratulated Trump on his victory and promised a “smooth transition” of power.

Sara Gonzales, however, thinks this was all an act. Biden’s actions following his faux goodwill toward Trump suggest that he’s actually trying to sabotage the country before the 47th president’s inauguration.

“Capping off his list of failures before he just rides off into the sunset to his nursing home — he's weakening immigration policy, and he's seemingly launching World War III,” she says.

“Just in the last week he has … escalated the war immensely with Ukraine and Russia’s direct involvement with the United States.” On top of that, he’s “moved to forgive $4.7 billion in United States loans to Ukraine,” Sara recounts.

Further, “according to an anonymous senior Biden official, the administration plans to push forward to put Ukraine in the strongest position possible before Biden's term ends in February,” Sara reads from a Reuters report.

“Why wouldn't you guys do that before if that's what you wanted to do?” she asks.

The answer seems obvious. Biden is intentionally throwing monkey wrenches in the system before Trump assumes office.

And yet it gets even worse.

“As all of that's going on, Joe Biden launches a new app for ICE” that allows illegal immigrants to “bypass an in-person meeting” at an ICE office by digitally checking in on the app.

The app doesn’t screen for past arrests or outstanding warrants, and it doesn’t collect GPS locations of the users.

“They press a button that says ‘I super duper pinky promise that I am the person that I'm checking in as and also I'm not a criminal and also I am where I say I am,’ and they're just like, ‘cool,”’ says Sara in utter disbelief.

“They're also loosening regulations on the electronic monitoring of the released illegals,” she adds. “Illegals can contest monitoring and tracking and request review at any time and then demand that … they are downgraded or terminated entirely, so that we don't get to track them.”

“I can't fathom any reason why [Joe Biden] would be doing this with 59 days left to go unless it was just — I'm going to f*** things up as much as I can for you. Good luck to you, enjoy World War III and a bunch of acts of terror on your own soil, and I'm going to go to the nursing home and eat pudding now,” Sara lambastes.

“They are just interested in, like you said, causing as much chaos and destruction as possible,” Blaze Media digital strategist Logan Hall agrees. “This is what the left does.”

To hear more of the conversation, watch the episode above.

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Josh Shapiro torched for signing artillery shell in photo op: 'You cannot overstate how evil and insane these people are'



Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro — a Democrat — was bashed for autographing an artillery shell that could potentially be used to kill people in the Russia-Ukraine War.

As Blaze News reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy toured the battleground state of Pennsylvania with Democratic candidates as well as a Kamala Harris campaign surrogate. One of the Zelenskyy's stops was an ammunition factory in Scranton.

'Democrats are now the party of war and they're proud of it.'

The Scranton Army Ammunition Plant is one of the few facilities in the country to manufacture 155mm artillery shells and has increased production over the past year to supply Ukraine in its war against Russia, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The United States has reportedly sent more than 3 million 155mm artillery shells to Ukraine.

Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) was in attendance at the factory and said Zelenskyy has a message: “Thank you. And we need more.”

Also in attendance at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant was Shapiro.

Shapiro shared a video of him signing an artillery shell on the X social media platform with the caption: "We must all do our part in the fight for freedom — from the workers in Scranton who make Pennsylvania the arsenal of democracy to the brave Ukrainian soldiers protecting their country. We stand with Ukraine in their just defense of their homeland in the face of Russian aggression."

— (@)

Shapiro was blasted online for signing the weapon of war.

Blaze Media writer Peachy Keenan: "These people are intolerable and when World War 3 starts will point fingers at everyone but themselves. Give peace a chance."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.): "I am 100% against this and so are most Americans. The U.S. is funding the Ukraine Gov at $1 billion/month to keep it running and funding most of the war by providing weapons, ammo, and equipment. The U.S. should be negotiating peace not fueling war."

Independent journalist Glenn Greenwald: "Democrats are running on a platform of producing and sending more weapons to keep a horrific war fueled forever, claiming it's to 'fight for freedom': pure neocon rhetoric. In case you're will wondering why Dick Cheney, neocons, CIA, and the war machine all support Kamala."

Political commentator Tucker Carlson: "I was disgusted by it, actually, I was enraged by it."

Vermont Republican Party Chair Paul Dame: "What happened to Democrats? In 2004 they were the anti-war party. Now, their best presidential hope for 2028 is autographing BOMBS? Can you imagine the outrage if Bush had ever done this?"

Author David J Harris Jr.: "Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Pennsylvania democrat Governor Josh Shapiro signed artillery shells to be used in war. This was at a munitions factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Democrats are now the party of war and they're proud of it. Sad."

Author Dr. Naomi Wolf: "This is a Satanic scene. These people seem unaware or unconcerned that they are signing missiles that will kill human beings."

Comedian and libertarian advocate Dave Smith: "You cannot overstate how evil and insane these people are."

Former running mate of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Nicole Shanahan: "How could it be that the Democratic Party I grew up with — the Blue Dog Democrats who believed in hard work, the middle class, family, and standing up against the war machine — has turned into this? I declared my independence this year because I refuse to support a party that flies in a foreign leader to promote the production of artillery and the use of bombs. Our country deserves better. We want de-escalation through diplomacy, not a march toward World War III."

Libertarian activist Liam McCollum: "The people signing bombs that will undoubtedly be used to kill people are considered centrists and call you an extremist if you oppose this."

Libertarian commentator Tom Woods: "This is sick and psychotic."

Journalist Max Blumenthal: "There’s Gov. Josh Shapiro with Zelenskyy signing artillery shells at a weapons plant in Scranton, PA For those unfamiliar, Shapiro is the guy who said Palestinians are too 'battle-minded' to make peace."

Author Dave Benner: "This is a worship ritual for those who view the military-industrial complex as their God."

Former U.S. Army Special Forces officer Joe Kent: "Pictured – the only winners in this foolish war, politicians & defense contractors. Not pictured – a generation of dead Ukrainian men & the rest of the world being led off to WW3. Make peace, stop the killing, prioritize America."

Far-left writer Wyatt Reed: "When did all our politicians start treating weapons of war like sports memorabilia? Why do they find killing people so amusing?"

Several online commentators noted that Shapiro was busy signing an artillery shell for a photo op with Zelenskyy in the same weekend that chaos erupted in Philadelphia.

As Blaze News previously reported, there were hundreds of cars involved in nearly a dozen street takeovers over the weekend in Philadelphia.

Earlier this year, former Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley was criticized for signing an artillery shell during a visit to Israel. On the ordnance, Haley wrote "Finish Them!"

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Who’s really at war with Ukraine? Apparently 'it’s not Russia'



Even though Russia invaded Ukraine over two years ago, the ongoing war between the two countries still has many people confused. Who’s the good guy in this situation? Surely, it’s not Putin. But Zelenskyy? What about the U.S. and the other countries offering aid to Ukraine?

According to founder and CEO of “Truth in Media” Ben Swann, "none of the above" is the answer. Despite the various narratives surrounding the war, Swann claims that Ukraine is actually a pawn in a much bigger game.

Swann recently joined Auron MacIntyre to explain how Ukraine became a “corrupt slush fund for the global managerial elite.”

“Is there something particular about the culture or the way that Ukraine is structured or the corruption there that allows United States companies or officials to profit uniquely from Ukraine?” MacIntyre asked.

“There’s a couple of things, actually,” Swann said. “Ukraine itself was historically, in the last 40 years, infamously ... one of the most corrupt countries on the planet. ... It’s run by oligarchs; it was handed over and basically auctioned off to the highest bidder; it is essentially run by gangsters.”

Further, “we have within the United States a whole lot of political players who have managed to get themselves involved in Ukraine,” including the Biden family, which we know “has business interests” in the country, Swann explained.

“Ukraine is being handed over. It’s not just about the war but the rebuilding effort afterwards; it’s the massive global funds that are being set up to administer hundreds of billions of dollars going back into Ukraine and the control of that.”

Swann went on to explain that Argentina has had the highest International Monetary Fund debt of any country, which is why Javier Milei was elected — to hopefully recover their “famously destroyed economy.” However, once the warring between Russia and Ukraine comes to an end, “by a long margin ... it will be Ukraine.”

A lot of the global money being funneled into Ukraine — money we’ve been told is a generous gift to aid their war against Russia — “is no longer a gift” and “no longer aid.”

“It’s a loan,” Swann said. “[The money] is all being restructured into loans that now the nation of Ukraine and the people of Ukraine will owe for generations” — billions, if not trillions of dollars that will take “lifetimes” to pay off.

“If you really want to look at who’s at war with Ukraine and who just conquered Ukraine, it’s multinational corporations; it’s not Russia. The real winner — the real entity that has won a war without firing a bullet at the people of Ukraine — is multinational corporations that now own that country and will own it into the foreseeable future,” Swann concluded.

To hear MacIntyre’s response, watch the video below.


— (@)

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