US President Donald Trump has suggested Spain could be expelled from NATO over its resistance to meeting the alliance’s new defence spending target of 5% of GDP.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Washington alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb – seen as having entered Trump’s circle of trust – the US president said Spain was “one laggard” among NATO’s 32 members.
The country “had no excuse” for not raising its defence spending, he said. “Maybe you should throw them out of NATO, frankly.”
In his first term in the White House, Trump made similar comments about withdrawing NATO protection from countries he considered to be spending too little on defence, for example, Norway and Iceland.
At a June summit, NATO leaders agreed to boost defence spending to 5% of GDP, divided into 3.5% for core military needs, including personnel and weapons, and 1.5% for defence-related expenditure, such as infrastructure.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, however, has said that Madrid will raise its defence budget to only 2.1% of GDP – currently it spends 2% – and claims an exemption from the target.
Sánchez also believes that Spain faces different threats from other European countries. “Our threat is not Russia bringing its troops across the Pyrenees,” he said in March, while pushing back on the need to boost defence spending.
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Trump is not alone in doubting Spain’s commitment to European defence. In an exclusive interview with Euractiv, the new US ambassador to the EU, Andrew Puzder, said Trump was “very pleased” with Europe’s commitment to defence but acknowledged regional differences.
“You have the eastern nations who are very, very concerned about Russia. And as you get further west and south, they become a little less concerned,” Puzder said, adding that he expects the US to continue to support NATO.
In Thursday’s press conference, Trump seemed to reinforce that. Asked by a reporter if he would defend Finland in case of a Russian attack, Trump replied, “Yes I would, they’re a member of NATO,” adding that he would do so “vigorously.”
NATO ambassadors are set to meet in Brussels on 15 October to review progress on spending pledges, with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth expected to push for faster compliance.
(cz)
