House passes resolution in support of NATO by unanimous voice vote

The House on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution expressing support for NATO as President Trump roiled allies with escalating calls for increased spending from alliance members.

The House, which added the NATO resolution to its schedule this week, approved the item via voice vote, according to multiple reports. It calls NATO “the most important and critical security link between the United States and Europe.” 

{mosads}Trump on Wednesday repeatedly called for allies to increase their spending contributions toward the alliance. He has long complained that the U.S. shoulders an unfair burden in covering a majority of the funding for NATO.

The House resolution came a day after the Senate approved a nonbinding motion 97-2 expressing support for the alliance.

However, Trump ratcheted up his demands on the first day of the NATO summit in Belgium, calling for countries to increase their spending target from 2 percent of their country’s respective gross domestic product (GDP) to 4 percent.

Trump later demanded countries increase their contributions “immediately,” despite an agreement allowing allies to gradually raise the amount to 2 percent by 2024. However, the 2014 spending goals agreed upon by member states have to do with their individual defense budgets rather than the alliance as a whole.

Some lawmakers have pushed back on Trump’s criticisms. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Wednesday, shortly after the president singled out Germany, that NATO is “indispensable” and “as important today as it ever has been.”