US President Donald Trump has once again raised concerns about Spain’s compliance with NATO’s defense spending commitments, accusing the country of being the sole ‘laggard’ in the bloc’s push to increase military spending. During a meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in the Oval Office, Trump claimed he secured the commitment during the NATO summit in June. The summit, held in The Hague, culminated in NATO members agreeing to increase defense spending to 5% of their GDP annually by 2035. Trump called the meeting “the most unified and productive in history.”
Spain has emerged as the strongest opponent of the spending increase, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez securing an exemption for Madrid. The country proposed a more modest defense spending target of 2.1% of GDP, while last year it allocated the smallest share of GDP to defense among NATO members. Spain’s Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, dismissed the 5% spending target as “absolutely impossible,” citing a lack of skilled labor and raw materials needed to expand production, even with government funding.
Not all NATO members were happy about the development. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said after the meeting that his nation is capable of meeting NATO demands even without a substantial spending increase, pointing to his government’s “other priorities.” Trump, who has consistently pushed for NATO members to shoulder more of the military spending burden, repeated his demand that the bloc’s European members spend more on defense during his first term as well. His push culminated at the June summit, where NATO members committed to the 5% spending target.
Trump’s suggestion of expelling Spain from NATO has sparked controversy, with the potential to strain the alliance’s unity. While Spain’s stance has faced criticism, it highlights the challenges in reconciling differing national priorities with the collective security goals of NATO. The situation underscores the tensions within the alliance, particularly as the U.S. continues to seek greater financial contributions from its European partners.