Bangladesh, May 4 -- The upcoming NATO summit in The Hague faces an unexpected complication: the potential absence of US President Donald Trump. According to a report from Germanys Der Spiegel published on May 2, Trump may snub the key international gathering unless European member states dramatically increase their defense spending commitments – from the current target of 2% of GDP to a much steeper 5%.

Citing “confidential reports” from German officials stationed in Brussels, Der Spiegel states that US Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, has repeatedly urged European governments to meet the new benchmark. Whitaker reportedly warned that failure to comply could lead Trump to boycott the summit entirely, signaling a d...