WATCH: Hillary Clinton ADMITS TRUMP WAS RIGHT! – Says She is “Encouraged” by NATO Progress

| Published August 18, 2025

Hillary Clinton Says She’s “Encouraged” by NATO’s Military Spending — A Point Long Championed by Trump

In a recent televised interview, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made remarks that have drawn attention across the political spectrum. Speaking about NATO’s renewed commitments to bolster military budgets, Clinton said she was “encouraged” by the decisions made in recent months, particularly the alliance’s pledge to significantly increase defense spending.

“I actually was encouraged by the events of the last several months,” Clinton noted. “First of all, the NATO commitment by individual member states to increase their defense spending is very welcome. … I’m actually encouraged.”

While Clinton did not explicitly reference former President Donald Trump, her comments align with a key foreign policy stance he repeatedly pushed during his presidency: pressuring NATO members to meet or exceed spending targets. For years, Trump argued that the United States was carrying an unfair burden within the alliance, insisting that European nations pay their “fair share” toward defense.

Clinton’s words arrive on the heels of NATO’s landmark decision at the 2025 summit in The Hague, where member nations—except Spain—committed to raising defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. This ambitious target far surpasses the previous 2% guideline agreed upon at the 2014 Wales Summit and reflects a dramatic shift in Europe’s approach to defense amid heightened global tensions.

The statement is notable given Clinton’s past criticisms of Trump. As Secretary of State, she was an outspoken advocate of NATO’s expansion and transatlantic unity but rarely credited Trump’s confrontational approach toward the alliance. Now, with NATO nations finally responding to years of pressure, her acknowledgment that progress is “very welcome” appears to validate a position long associated with her former rival.

Critics argue that Clinton’s remarks stop short of openly conceding that Trump was right. Supporters of the former president, however, view the moment as vindication of his tough stance on NATO. The contrast highlights a rare point of overlap between two figures who have otherwise defined themselves in opposition to each other.

As NATO embarks on a decade-long path to unprecedented defense spending, the broader question remains: will this moment of alignment between past rivals influence future U.S. foreign policy debates—or is it merely a passing acknowledgment in an increasingly volatile world?

 Implications

Hillary Clinton’s acknowledgment that she is “encouraged” by NATO’s increased defense spending carries political weight beyond the surface. For years, Donald Trump was ridiculed by many in the media and the political establishment—including Clinton herself—for demanding that NATO members pay their fair share. Critics labeled his stance as reckless, isolationist, or even dangerous to transatlantic unity.

1. Validation of Trump’s Foreign Policy

   • Hillary Clinton’s “encouraged” comment indirectly affirms what Trump long insisted: NATO members must boost defense spending instead of relying on U.S. taxpayers.

2. Exposure of Double Standards

   • When Trump demanded NATO pay its fair share, he was attacked by media and political elites as reckless or dangerous. Now, the same demand is praised when echoed by establishment figures.

3. Proof of Effective Leadership

   • NATO’s renewed commitments show that Trump’s tough, confrontational approach worked, achieving results that decades of traditional diplomacy could not.

4. Political Advantage for Trump

   • Clinton’s remarks hand conservatives a talking point: even his fiercest rivals are now admitting the wisdom of his policies, whether they use his name or not.

5. Strategic Shift for NATO

   • Europe’s pledge to raise spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 highlights a future where the U.S. no longer carries the burden alone—exactly what Trump demanded.

6. Reshaping the Debate at Home

   • As NATO strengthens under Trump-style pressure, it challenges Democrats to reconcile their past criticisms of him with the present reality of his vindicated strategy.

 Overall Takeaway:

Hillary Clinton’s remarks may have been cautious, but the implications are unmistakable. By saying she is “encouraged” by NATO’s increased defense spending, she indirectly validates what Donald Trump had been demanding for years—that America should not shoulder the burden alone while European allies underfund their militaries. What was once mocked as reckless or dangerous is now praised as progress, exposing the double standard of Washington elites and the media. For conservatives, this moment stands as vindication: Trump’s tough, unapologetic stance produced results that decades of polite diplomacy could not. NATO is now on track toward unprecedented spending commitments, proving that Trump’s pressure reshaped the alliance for the better. In the end, even one of his fiercest rivals cannot avoid acknowledging the impact of his leadership—whether she says his name or not.

SOURCES: THE GATEWAY PUNDIT – WATCH: Hillary Clinton ADMITS TRUMP WAS RIGHT! – Says She is “Encouraged” by NATO Progress

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