Overview

• Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump called Spain's stance "unbelievably disrespectful" and claimed it was the only ally not to raise its target to 5 percent.
• He said he is considering "trade punishment" through new tariffs in response to Madrid’s resistance on defense spending.
• Trump has floated expelling Spain from NATO, though the alliance’s treaty provides no mechanism to oust a member.
• Spain allocated about 1.3 percent of GDP to defense in 2024 and has pledged to reach 2 percent by the end of 2025, a path Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended in a radio interview.
• Allies set a new 5 percent defense goal in June with a 2035 horizon, and only a few countries currently meet that level.