Overview
- The comment was made at the White House during President Trump's appearance with Finland's Alexander Stubb, where he labeled Spain a laggard on spending.
- Trump is pressing allies to reach a political ambition of 5% of GDP for defense by the next decade, a goal Spain has not endorsed.
- Madrid responded that Spain is a full and committed member, citing a negotiated path of roughly 2%–2.1% and an extra investment of about €10.5 billion to reach 2% in 2025.
- The North Atlantic Treaty provides no procedure to expel a member, and diplomats and defense sources describe the episode as a warning that could hurt Spain’s influence in the alliance.
- Spanish opposition leaders used the controversy to attack Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and allied diplomats expect pressure over Spain’s budget stance to surface at next week’s NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels.