NATO has weathered another storm from Donald Trump but European members of the military alliance are bracing for more turbulence ahead in relations with the U.S. president.
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NATO leaders will gather in Ankara for a summit on Tuesday and Wednesday, amid pressure from President Donald Trump for Europe to step up defence spending and following months of transatlantic friction over the Iran war and Greenland.
NATO's defense ministers committed to spending at least 2.5% of GDP on defense, with Poland, the Baltics, and Greece already running above 4%, and the alliance has set a target of 5% of GDP on defense spending by 2035.
Themes Transatlantic Defense ETF is rated Hold due to elevated valuations and decelerating growth among top holdings despite recent outperformance. NATO's cap-weighted structure concentrates exposure in U.S. defense giants like RTX, GE, and Boeing, all facing valuation and growth headwinds. High government debt in NATO countries is likely to constrain further defense spending growth, limiting upside even amid geopolitical instability.