The implication was that the president could soften his demand that North Atlantic Treaty Organization members spend 5% of economic output on defense if Europe increased its interoperability with the US military and invested more with American companies, several of the people said.
President Donald Trump’s administration has told allies in the UK and Europe that it wants them to buy American weapons and military equipment in order to maintain the Nato alliance, European officials familiar with the matter said.
The request has been made several times by US officials to their European counterparts in recent weeks, including in meetings between Nato allies that took place on the continent this week, the people said. Trump’s team also suggested it wanted Europe to buy more American energy in conversations about the security relationship, they added.
