Trump Threatens Spain with Trade Sanctions Over Refusal to Increase Military Spending
On Tuesday, October 14, U.S.
President Donald Trump made a surprising announcement, which has caused diplomatic tensions — he threatened Spain with the use of trade sanctions, including tariffs, due to its inability to meet the NATO-definitive 5% of GDP on defense spending.
Trump stated that Spain is the only NATO ally that has not increased its military expenditure to this target.
He expressed dissatisfaction with this situation and indicated that he is considering applying trade sanctions against Spain, signaling a deterioration in relations between the United States and Spain.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares responded by emphasizing that Spain remains a reliable NATO member, with over 3,000 troops deployed under the alliance’s umbrella.
He reaffirmed that Spain’s commitments to collective security remain firm and highlighted the country’s active participation in NATO missions across Eastern Europe.
Meanwhile, NATO members recognize that their previous target of allocating 2% of GDP for defense is no longer sufficient, especially after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Spain, which joined NATO in 1982, is the only country out of 32 that has not pledged to increase its defense budget to the recommended 5%.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently reached a consensus with parliament to allocate up to 2.1% of GDP for defense, considering this amount adequate and realistic.
Madrid argues that it compensates for lower defense spending through significant contributions to NATO missions, including deployments in Latvia, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey.
While Trump repeatedly urged NATO allies to increase their defense expenditures, he also expressed concerns about their willingness to assist each other when needed.
Recently, he suggested that Spain might be expelled from NATO due to its failure to meet the alliance’s spending criteria.