Trump Accuses Spain of Not Being a Team Player Over Defense Spending
Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Spain for being the only NATO country unwilling to commit to dedicating 5% of its GDP to defense spending, a point of contention as last summer’s summit in The Hague.
Speaking in the Oval Office alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, trump stated that Rutte “is going to have to talk to Spain.” Despite this, he expressed confidence that Rutte could “easily resolve” the issue of increased Spanish commitment.
Rutte echoed Trump’s stance, asserting that Spain cannot meet NATO’s capacity objectives with its proposed investment of less than 3.5%.
5% Commitment
Trump revisited the agreement reached between NATO and Spain last summer, where Spain committed to a maximum of 2.1% of its GDP for military spending, with versatility towards the 5% goal set by the White House. He noted that no NATO country, including the United States, has reached the 5% target.
Trump claimed, “Everyone else is (committed) 100%,” framing the agreement to increase defense spending as “a great concession.”
Recently, Trump has threatened a “reprimand” for Spain’s shortfall, even suggesting expulsion from the association and the imposition of tariffs.
While NATO maintains that this disagreement doesn’t warrant exclusion, it insists Spain must invest over 3% of its GDP to fulfill its security obligations.Though, the Spanish government (Moncloa) argues that the existing 2.1% commitment is sufficient, as further increases could jeopardize the country’s welfare state.
