He President of the United States, Donald Trump, This Thursday, Spain has been targeted again for the Defense spending of Pedro Sánchez’s government, which the US president considers insufficient for his claims that all members of the Take they allocate to Defense he 5% of your budget. After several clashes since he returned to the presidency, this time, the Republican has gone so far as to suggest that “Perhaps” Spain should be expelled from the Atlantic Alliance.
Trump was speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, where he received the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb. At one point in the statements he recalled his request to all NATO members to increase their defense spending to 5%, instead of the 2% that he previously claimed.
“The majority of people thought it was not going to happen and it happened practically unanimously,” he continued, before stating that there was “a lagging” and point to Spain.
“They have to call them and find out why they are lagging behind“, he continued, “They are fine, you know? Maybe because of the things we have done, they are doing well. They have no excuse to not do this (5%). But it’s okay. Maybe they should be expelled from NATO, frankly”, he then added, speaking, supposedly, to Finland (although the US is part of the Alliance).
The Washington president’s tension with Spain had escalated before the last NATO summit in June, to which Sánchez arrived posing a diplomatic fight over the percentage of GDP allocated to Defense. The socialist leader announced by surprise and solemnly in an institutional declaration that there was up to 5% of GDP: 3.5% in military capabilities and 1.5% in other security capabilities,.
That fight deeply irritated Trump, who called Spain a “problem” and after the summit he even threatened with trade punishments. suggesting that I might have to “pay double”, in apparent reference to tariffs. That threat did not materialize.
Even when in August Spain exceeded 2% for the first time, in Washington the contribution continued to be seen as insufficient and then a spokesperson for the State Department recalled that that bar was no longer sufficient and that not reaching the 5% set by Trump would have “serious consequences”.
This Thursday, in his statements in the Oval Office, Trump did not make direct threats to Madrid.
The Government reacts with “maximum calmness”
Knowing Trump’s statement, in the Executive of Pedro Sánchez They have reacted with “maximum calmness.” Moncloa sources tell EL PERIÓDICO that “Spain is a full member and committed to NATO.” What’s more, they add, it is a country that “meets its capacity objectives as much as the US“.
These statements by Trump must be contextualized in the political confrontation during the last NATO Summit in which the president of the United States insisted on the need for all states to achieve the objective of raising defense spending to 5% of GDP. Meanwhile, Pedro Sánchez jeopardized the allied position until, in the end, he achieved a guarantee of “flexibility” and a solution that consisted of generally maintaining the 5% objective, but interpreted in such a way that Spain is considered to comply as long as it complies with the Military Capabilities Objectives set by NATO itself.
In response to Trump’s words, Alberto Núñez Feijóo has pointed out that the problem is not Spain, but that “the problem is Sánchez“. “He is not trustworthy, but that should not drag down the country,” he wrote on his social networks. “Our Nation does not have to pay for his frivolity and irresponsibility. We know who our allies are. Spain will not leave NATO. Sánchez will leave La Moncloa,” concluded the leader of the Popular Party.
Also Santiago Abascalleader of VOX, has expressed on his social networks that “every day of Sánchez in power destroys national interests even more and seriously harms our security. Sánchez is the biggest calamity that Spain has had in a long time.”
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