Donald Trump’s administration is reportedly growing uneasy about Britain’s weakening defence spending commitments, setting the stage for a possible early clash with likely future prime minister Andy Burnham.
Three sources, including a senior US administration official, said Washington believes the UK and several European allies have made a “false promise” by agreeing to the president’s demands for higher defence spending.
According to sources who spoke to The Telegraph, the White House doubts Britain will follow through on its pledge to spend five per cent of GDP on defence.
That scepticism could spark an early confrontation with Andy Burnham, who is widely seen as the frontrunner to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.
Concerns within the Trump administration have also triggered a review of America’s military footprint in Europe, with officials warning US assets could be pulled from the continent if allies fail to boost spending.
Burnham has privately told allies he wants to increase defence spending, but he is said to be at odds with Downing Street over Sir Keir’s determination to move ahead with the long-delayed defence investment strategy.
Sir Keir is expected to announce a £15 billion increase in military spending through the Dip later this week, although the document will reportedly avoid setting a clear timeline for reaching the 3 per cent target defence chiefs have called for.
John Healey, who stepped down as defence secretary on June 11, had pushed for a 2030 deadline.
Although Britain has met the initial 2 per cent spending goal demanded by Donald Trump, raising that figure further has proven difficult, with the UK now ranking below 13 other NATO members in proportional defence spending.
Trump is expected to travel to Ankara on July 7 for the annual NATO summit, though allied leaders remain concerned he could even consider pulling the United States out of the alliance.
His confidence in Mark Rutte also appears to be fading.
“There’s growing frustration that Mr Rutte is all talk and no delivery,” a senior US administration official said.
US personnel stationed at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels are reportedly nervous Trump may skip the Ankara summit altogether.
Relations have worsened since the Iran conflict began on February 28, particularly after Britain declined to allow US forces to launch strikes from the Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands, a move that reportedly damaged perceptions of the UK as a reliable ally.
A White House spokesperson said NATO members must take greater responsibility for their own defence.
“The United States has done more for NATO than any other country. President Trump has made his disappointment clear, and he remains firm,” the spokesperson said.
Rutte’s expected progress report at the summit is likely to show European allies and Canada have collectively increased defence budgets by 20 per cent, equal to around $100 billion.
A senior European diplomat told The Telegraph: “We’ve heard American scepticism loud and clear. They often say, ‘If all European countries were like the Nordics, we’d be in a much stronger position — but will the bigger nations actually deliver?’ That’s where the doubt remains.”
