UK to boost defence spending as Trump reviews US support over Falklands

The UK is set to boost its defence spending after President Donald Trump suggested reviewing the US support over the Falklands.

As reported by Reuters, British finance minister John Healey told The Times, the country is planning to lay out a clear path to higher defence spending at the government’s spending review aimed at reaching NATO targets.

"For the first time at the spending review, we ​will set out a clear path about how ​we will meet that NATO commitment in 2035, ⁠of 3.5% of GDP," he said ​at the G20 summit in North Carolina.

"And as part ​of setting out that clear path, we will set that target date for 3 percent."

Healey became finance minister in July after previously serving as defence minister in the last government.

He resigned from his previous defence role after failing to secure funding to raise defence spending to 3 percent by 2030, a target he argued Britain must set due to current global dangers.

His first budget is scheduled for October 28, where he has pledged to maintain the borrowing rules inherited from his predecessor, Rachel Reeves.

In the budget plan, defence will be a central focus of the spending review. But reaching the 3 percent of defence spending target by 2030 would cost an additional £17.3 billion ($23.4 billion).

The announcement comes after Trump hinted at reconsidering the US position over Britain’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.

When asked about the US position, Trump said, “I always review every position – that’s just one of many.”

Earlier this week, some senior US officials also issued warnings regarding the US' position related to the Falklands.

As per reports, the Pentagon officials reviewing NATO commitments want the UK to increase its defense spending to 5 percent of GDP as they see current plans of a target of 3.5 percent by 2035 as insufficient as devised by former UK PM Keir Starmer.

When asked about the US’ position on the Falkland Islands, the senior official replied, "I can say that conversations are candid and nothing is being ruled out as far as options for encouraging the sort of burden-sharing that we seek."