NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte addressed the European Parliament last week, emphasizing the need for Europe to increase defense spending. With Donald Trump's return to the Oval Office, defense spending will once again be a top issue in Europe. While some progress has been made in meeting the 2 percent GDP target set by NATO, there is still skepticism and calls for higher spending benchmarks. Trump has suggested a target of 5 percent, but achieving this may be unrealistic. The US and Europe have a deeply intertwined economic relationship that relies on the stability and security provided by NATO. How the Trump administration addresses this matter will have implications beyond Europe.