Trump threatens Spain with trade tariffs over NATO defense spending dispute
US President Donald Trump has sharply criticized Spain for refusing to meet NATO’s new defense spending target
WASHINGTON, United States (MNTV) — US President Donald Trump has sharply criticized Spain for refusing to meet NATO’s new defense spending target and warned of potential trade penalties in response.
Speaking at the White House alongside Argentine President Javier Milei, Trump said he was “very unhappy with Spain,” accusing the country of undermining the alliance by rejecting the 5% defense spending guideline he championed.
“They’re the only country that didn’t raise their number up to 5% … so I’m not happy with Spain,” Trump said. “What they did is a very bad thing for NATO. I think it’s very unfair.”
He went further, suggesting Spain could face punitive tariffs for what he described as “disrespectful” behavior toward NATO. “I was thinking about giving them trade punishment through tariffs because of what they did … I think they should be punished for that,” he said.
Trump’s remarks follow the recent NATO summit in The Hague, where member states pledged to increase defense spending to 5% of their annual GDP by 2035 to strengthen collective security and modernize military capabilities.
Spain, however, has expressed concern that the target is unrealistic and could strain its economy, setting the stage for a potential diplomatic rift within the alliance.
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