A former leading US diplomat has warned that New Zealand its low defence spending risks straining its relationship with the United States.
David Stilwell, who served as US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 2019 to 2021 and as defence attaché in Beijing, said international relationships were ultimately based on “give and take.”
Stilwell said while he would not judge New Zealand’s defence policy, he disagreed with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s description of the country as a “freeloader” after it set a target of 2 per cent of GDP for defence spending.
“What is a good amount of defence for New Zealand is up to New Zealand,” Stilwell told RNZ. “You’re not part of some sort of a NATO alliance….
Former US Diplomat Warns New Zealand Not Doing Enough on Defence
