At the NATO summit in The Hague on Wednesday, President Donald Trump addressed Spain's refusal to commit to the alliance's new defense spending target of 5% of gross domestic product (GDP). Trump expressed frustration, stating, "You’re the only country that is not paying. I don’t know what the problem is," highlighting Spain's position as the sole NATO member to reject this target.
In light of Spain's noncompliance, Trump threatened to negotiate a trade deal that would impose higher costs on Spain, suggesting they would "pay twice as much." He emphasized his seriousness about this approach and indicated a desire to negotiate directly with Spain rather than through the European Union, of which Spain is a member. Trump has set a deadline of July 9 for the EU to agree to a trade deal, warning that tariffs on EU imports could increase to 50% if no agreement is reached.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended his government's stance by stating that increasing defense spending would negatively impact Spain's welfare state. NATO officials and representatives from other member countries criticized Spain’s decision, with some calling it a "bad example" and "unfair to the alliance."
Despite his earlier criticisms of NATO, Trump indicated that his view has evolved, stating that the new commitment to increase defense spending is a positive step forward for the alliance. The collective increase in defense spending among NATO members is expected to enhance the alliance's capabilities amid rising global tensions.