German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday dismissed as unfounded the assertion by US President Donald Trump that Berlin’s defence contributions to NATO are “ridiculous” and disproportionately low. Speaking to journalists in Berlin, Merz said Germany will double its defence budget within four years and reach the alliance’s new spending target of 3.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2029, six years ahead of the 2035 deadline agreed at last year’s Hague summit. “We have no reason to shy away from anyone,” Merz said, adding that Germany, as the European Union’s largest member state, bears a particular responsibility within Europe.

Trump had used his Truth Social platform to publish a table of allied spending and to single out Germany, writing that US outlays between 2014 and 2025 were “MUCH LOWER” than Washington’s and that the relationship “is not reciprocal.” In a separate post, he described the continuation of what he called a one-sided path as “ridiculous.” The remarks arrived days before NATO leaders convene in Ankara, where, according to European diplomatic sources, the primary objective is to demonstrate that the continent is assuming a greater share of the collective defence burden.

The Ankara gathering is set against a backdrop of sharp transatlantic friction. Over the past twelve months, Trump’s threats to seize Greenland from alliance member Denmark and his decision to launch military action against Iran without consulting European allies have strained relations. European officials, as reported in briefings ahead of the summit, intend to use the meeting to move past those disputes and to present a united front on defence investment. The new 3.5 percent GDP target, which covers core items such as weapons and troops, replaces the previous 2 percent benchmark and is seen in European capitals as a concrete signal of increased commitment.

Merz’s domestic agenda reflects the financial trade-offs required to meet these pledges. His government is expanding the armed forces while simultaneously reducing social spending, a course that, according to analysts in Berlin, is designed to position the chancellor as a leader of continental security ahead of the Ankara talks. Merz has held preparatory meetings in Berlin with Baltic leaders and former NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, emphasising that the threat posed by Russia is taken seriously and that Germany is arming accordingly. The summit next week will test whether such assurances are sufficient to ease Washington’s pressure and to stabilise the alliance’s internal dynamics.