US President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday in this photo. (AP-Yonhap)
US President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday in this photo. (AP-Yonhap)

US President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday North Atlantic Treaty Organization member states should spend five percent of gross domestic product on defense -- much higher than the current 2 percent guideline of the alliance.

Trump made the remarks during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida amid expectations that he could also call on South Korea and other allies to increase their defense spending and take greater responsibilities for their security.

"Well, I think NATO should have 5 percent," Trump said. "You can't do it at 2 (percent) ... If you are going to have a country and a regular military, you are at 4 percent."

The incoming president backed up his rationale for the spending increase, noting that NATO states are "in dangerous territory" in an apparent reference to security threats from Russia in the midst of its protracted war in Ukraine.

"They should be at 5 percent, not 2 percent. I am the one who got them to pay 2 percent," he said.

Currently, NATO guidelines call for its member states to commit 2 percent of their GDP to defense spending. The defense spending target was agreed upon by NATO leaders in 2014.

Last month, the Financial Times reported that Trump's foreign policy aides had told European officials that he will demand NATO states raise their defense spending to 5 percent of GDP.

Seoul and other US allies have already been bracing for the possibility that when he returns to office on Jan. 20, Trump could reorient America's foreign policy under his America First credo that is expected to see Washington curtail costly overseas military involvement and call for allies to do more to address shared challenges.

Some observers have said that Trump could call for renegotiation of a new defense cost-sharing deal with South Korea, called the Special Measures Agreement.

In October, Seoul and Washington struck the 12th SMA to determine Seoul's share of the cost for the stationing of the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea. Under the deal that will last through 2030, Seoul is to pay 1.52 trillion won ($1.04 billion) in 2026, up from 1.4 trillion won in 2025.

After the conclusion of SMA negotiations, Trump said in a campaign speech that South Korea would be paying $10 billion a year for the stationing of USFK if he was in the White House. He also described the Asian ally as a "money machine." (Yonhap)