![US President Donald Trump (left) and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. [EPA]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/08/29/9/news-p.v1.20260721.11af5726e3164a198216f7fcd549f674_P1.jpg)
The British government is unlikely to include a specific timeline for raising defense spending to 3 percent of GDP in its upcoming budget, as fiscal pressures mount over the country's military buildup plans amid Donald Trump's push for European allies to spend more on defense.
Finance Minister John Healey will not set out a schedule for reaching the 3 percent GDP target in the budget to be announced Oct. 28, British media including The Guardian reported Friday (local time).
The Labour government had previously pledged to raise defense spending to 3 percent of GDP by the next parliamentary term — an interim step toward NATO's target of lifting direct military expenditure to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035.
However, the government has decided to prioritize securing funding for its existing Defense Investment Plan rather than committing to a firm deadline for hitting the 3 percent mark. The current three-year plan is estimated to face an annual shortfall of around 1.2 billion pounds ($1.56 billion).
A government spokesperson said a timeline for reaching 3 percent, along with a path toward meeting NATO's 3.5 percent target by 2035, would be set out during a spending review expected next year.
US pressure is also continuing. The Telegraph reported that the Trump administration is closely watching Britain as it monitors NATO allies' compliance with defense spending commitments, and may raise the question of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands as leverage to push for higher defense outlays.
The Falkland Islands were the subject of a war between Britain and Argentina in 1982 over competing territorial claims. Reuters reported in April that the United States, in pressing European allies to shoulder greater defense burdens, was also considering reviewing its diplomatic stance on overseas territories held by European nations, including the Falklands.
rim@heraldcorp.com
