US Department of Defense praises Germany's rearmament efforts before Congress

The US Department of Defense has praised Germany's efforts to spend more money on defense before the US Congress. NATO allies such as Germany have taken credible steps to fulfill their commitments well ahead of the 2035 deadline, according to a statement from Elbridge Colby, Undersecretary of Defense, to the US Senate Armed Services Committee. Germany was also mentioned by name as a model example with a view to closer cooperation in arms production.

Last year, at their summit in The Hague, the NATO countries decided to spend at least 3.5 percent of their respective gross domestic product (GDP) on defense by 2035. They also agreed to an additional 1.5 percent of GDP for defense-related spending, such as infrastructure. The decision came about at the urging of US President Donald Trump and under the impression of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

From 2035 onwards at the latest, the NATO states want to invest five percent of their GDP in defense and security every year - more than at any time since the Cold War. Germany wants to achieve the five percent target by 2029. In July, Germany had already reported record defense spending to the transatlantic defense alliance for 2026. According to NATO data, the federal government is planning almost 125 billion euros for defense this year.

USA sees tectonic change in Germany

Two weeks ago, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) during his visit to Washington, D.C. for Germany's pioneering role in strengthening NATO in Europe. He spoke of “great progress that no one would have thought possible before President Trump returned to office.”

At their meeting, Pistorius and Hegseth also signed a declaration of intent according to which the USA and Germany want to work more closely together in the defense industry in the future. It was a “very relaxed conversation in every respect” with Hegseth, said Pistorius after the meeting in the US capital.

It is also not the first time that US Undersecretary of State Colby has made positive comments about Germany. In August, at NATO headquarters, he praised Germany as a kind of model for other allies. What the Federal Republic has initiated in the past 18 months is "an extraordinary tectonic shift," a "historic change," he said. Germany had moved from extensive demilitarization to rapid rearmament.