These NATO Countries Are Not Even Close to US Military Spending on Defense: Every Country Ranked

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is running independently in the upcoming United States presidential election and recently made the campaign promise to cut the military budget in half. His plan is to redistribute those funds to infrastructure, education, health, rebuild the economy, and increase small business support. A portion of the current US military budget is allocated to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, a group founded in 1949 comprised of 32 countries from Europe and North America. The organization is founded on the “principle of collective defence, meaning that if one NATO Ally is attacked, then all NATO Allies are attacked.”

In 2014, at the annual NATO Summit held in Wales, members pledged to contribute 2% of GDP (gross domestic product) by 2024. With the deadline looming, only 12 countries involved in the alliance have met this goal. NATO officials feel strongly that the number will only increase by year’s end. The pledge of defense funds is only a portion of a country’s commitment when they join. They also provide troops and equipment to become “NATO forces,” give funds to run the organization, and are enlisted to defend one another should any member country come under attack.

The United States GDP in 2023 was equal to all other members combined, and they were only 2nd to Poland in the amount allocated to the collective. The pledge to contribute to NATO has long been a point of contention for the United States since they are among the few countries providing the lion’s share of funds. Notably, former President Donald Trump “encouraged” Russian forces to attack NATO members who did not spend enough. Trump is not the only former president to make note of this situation; former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama have also strongly encouraged other member countries to provide their share of funds.

Using 2022 data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 24/7 Wall St. identified the NATO countries that are not paying their fair share. We ranked all 31 NATO member-states on defense spending as a share of GDP, from the biggest spenders to the smallest. GDP figures are from the World Bank and are noted in 2022 U.S. dollars. All other supplemental data is from SIPRI.

Why Are We Writing About NATO and Defense Spending?

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The United States is a world superpower, and its commitment to NATO is significant. The US and NATO relationship appears to be an entanglement not easily withdrawn from. The upcoming 2024 presidential election has many in the US holding their breath for the outcome, and around the world, the feeling is mutual. Should Donald Trump be elected, he has made it clear that the country’s relationship with the collective would not remain as-is. The changes have the potential for a sweeping impact worldwide; only time will tell how the situation will be resolved.

31. Greece

Source: ntm-a_cstc-a / Flickr

• Total Defense Spending (2022): $8.1 billion USD
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $217.6 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 3.7%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +44.4%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +69.0%

30. United States

Source: Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images

• Total Defense Spending (2022): $876.9 billion USD
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $25.4 trillion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 3.5%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +10.2%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +2.7%

29. Lithuania

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $1.7 billion USD
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $71.0 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.5%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +44.3%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +353.1%

28. Poland

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $16.6 billion USD
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $688.1 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.4%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +34.4%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +94.7%

27. United Kingdom

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $68.5 billion USD
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $3.1 trillion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.2%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +15.4%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +9.7%

26. Croatia

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $1.3 billion USD
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $71.6 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.2%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +36.0%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +49.9%

25. Estonia

Source: 2022 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total Defense Spending (2022): $810.9 million USD
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $38.1 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.1%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +14.8%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +55.5%

24. Latvia

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $848.8 million USD
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $40.9 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 2.0%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +8.4%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +186.2%

23. France

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $53.6 billion USD (approximately $1.9 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $2.8 trillion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.9%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +7.2%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +15.0%

22. Slovakia

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Slovakia’s total defense spending for 2022 was $2.0 billion USD (approx. $315.1 million short of the 2% threshold), with a gross domestic product of $115.5 billion. The country’s defense spending as a share of GDP is 1.8%. The 5-year change in defense spending was +42.9%, and the 10-year is +109.2%.

• Total Defense Spending (2022): $2.0 billion USD (approximately $315.1 million short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $115.5 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.8%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +42.9%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +109.2%

21. Romania

Source: 2022 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total Defense Spending (2022): $5.2 billion USD (approximately $827.1 million short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $300.7 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.7%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +11.5%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +123.8%

20. Finland

Source: Andreas Rentz / Getty Images

• Total Defense Spending (2022): $4.8 billion USD (approximately $835.0 million short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $282.9 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.7%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +30.7%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +28.7%

19. Italy

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $33.5 billion USD (approximately $7.5 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $2.1 trillion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.7%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +18.8%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +23.6%

18. Norway

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $8.4 billion USD (approximately $3.2 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $579.4 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.6%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +17.2%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +46.5%

17. Montenegro

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $98.0 million USD (approximately $26.6 million short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $6.2 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.6%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +26.3%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +56.3%

16. North Macedonia

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $225.0 million USD (approximately $46.3 million short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $13.6 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.7%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +18.8%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +23.6%

15. Albania

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $8.4 billion USD (approximately $3.2 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $579.4 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.6%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +81.6%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +89.1%

14. Netherlands

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $288.7 million USD (approximately $89.6 million short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $18.9 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.6%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +53.8%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +40.7%

13. Hungary

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $2.6 billion USD (approximately $974.5 million short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $177.3 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.5%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +71.7%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +148.4%

12. Bulgaria

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $1.3 billion USD (approximately $471.0 million short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $90.4 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.5%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +28.1%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +66.5%

11. Spain

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $20.3 billion USD (approximately $8.1 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $1.4 trillion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.5%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +13.5%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +28.4%

10. Denmark

Source: 2009 The Danish Ministry of Defence / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total Defense Spending (2022): $5.5 billion USD (approximately $2.5 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $400.2 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.4%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +21.6%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +43.2%

9. Germany

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $55.8 billion USD (approximately $25.9 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $4.1 trillion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.4%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +18.0%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +32.5%

8. Czechia

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $4.0 billion USD (approximately $1.8 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $290.5 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.4%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +23.9%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +63.6%

7. Portugal

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $3.5 billion USD (approximately $1.6 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $255.2 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.4%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +10.4%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +19.7%

6. Canada

Source: 2020 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total Defense Spending (2022): $26.9 billion USD (approximately $15.9 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $2.1 trillion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.2%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +4.7%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +48.9%

5. Turkey

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $10.6 billion USD (approximately $7.5 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $907.1 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.2%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +30.6%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +14.9%

4. Slovenia

Source: Peter Božič, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

• Total Defense Spending (2022): $735.2 million USD (approximately $466.1 million short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $60.1 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.2%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +38.2%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +58.0%

3. Belgium

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $6.9 billion USD (approximately $4.8 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $583.4 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 1.2%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +38.8%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +33.9%

2. Luxembourg

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• Total Defense Spending (2022): $564.6 million USD (approximately $1.1 billion short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $81.6 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 0.7%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: +56.5%
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: +155.5%

1. Iceland

Source: Claus Ableiter / Wikimedia Commons

• Total Defense Spending (2022): $0 (approximately $561.3 million short of 2% threshold)
• Gross Domestic Product (2022): $28.1 billion USD
• Defense Spending as a Share of GDP: 0.0%
• 5-Year Change in Defense Spending: N/A
• 10-Year Change in Defense Spending: N/A