Overview

• At a White House meeting with Finland's President Alexander Stubb, President Trump labeled Spain a laggard and said it should perhaps be expelled from NATO.
• Trump's remarks target Spain's refusal to commit to a five-percent-of-GDP defense benchmark, described as 3.5 percent for core defense plus 1.5 percent for security-relevant infrastructure.
• Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said Spain remains a full member that meets its capability goals and urged calm, with government sources echoing that Madrid fulfills its obligations.
• A NATO spokesperson said the alliance has no mechanism for suspending or expelling members over spending disagreements, prompting concerns in Brussels about the rhetoric's impact on unity.
• Trump also floated punitive tariffs on Spanish products if Madrid does not shift course, escalating pressure beyond alliance forums.