Mr Trump has consistently hit out at Germany and other European nations to increase the percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) spent on armed forces.

In 2018, Mr Trump warned that unless the two percent target for 2019 was achieved by all member states, he would “do his own thing” and piled pressure on Germany to meet its targets.

Germany pledged to increase spending on defence, but only agreed to a commitment of 1.5 percent of its GDP target by 2024.

The US president has doubts about the country’s commitment to the target.

Germany has a low defence budget in comparison to other European nations that have raised their spending in recent years.

As such, Nato secretary Jens Stoltenberg expects the US president to increase pressure and push for the alliance’s European allies to spend more when he meets him and other foreign ministers on Tuesday.

Mr Stoltenberg told Brussels: “I expect the message from President Trump will be that the US is committed to Nato, that Nato is important for our shared security but at the same time we need fair sharing of the burden.

“My message to the president will be: ‘I agree. Nato is a strong alliance but for Nato to remain a strong alliance we need to be a fair alliance.”

EU diplomats are set to face attacks from the president, even though the 70th birthday is not being attended by European leaders.

US ambassador to Nato Kay Bailey Hutchison said leaders would not be at the event because it was “too soon” after a Brussels summit in July.

During the summit, Mr Trump clashed with leaders, accusing them of “not pulling their weight” and expecting the US to make up the large proportion of targets.

Ms Hutchison said German Chancellor Angela Merkel assured Mr Trump in a phone call last week that Berlin would hit the 1.5 percent agreed target by 2024.

The US envoy said: “We need more from Germany, because they are the strongest economy in Europe.

“We’re still asking for it. And they say they will deliver.”

In March, Ms Merkel told parliament that Germany would not miss the 1.5 percent goal – despite gloomy figures released by the finance ministry that suggested otherwise.

Ms Merkel said: “That we fulfil this commitment is something I stand for, and that the federal government stand for.”

The US president has warned of penalties for those who do not meet a target of at least a 2 percent spend on milita

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