1137 GMT - Defense spending in Western countries is vulnerable to economic headwinds such as rising inflation and falling GDP, Mark Rutte, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization says after being repeatedly pressed by journalists to comment on the U.S. tariffs at a press conference in Brussels. "It can always be an issue that the money you expected to be there is not there because of inflation or because of the fact that the GDP is not growing like you expected in the past, or what forecasts were, etc, but that is what national politics, politics and politicians have to navigate, and that's what they are doing," he says. (cristina.gallardo@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 04, 2025 07:41 ET (11:41 GMT)

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