Spain has offended Trump. “I'm thinking about punishing it with tariffs” or expelling it from NATO

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was dissatisfied with Spain and was thinking of punishing it with tariffs. Madrid has been criticized for its resistance to allocating 5%. GDP for defense.

Trump said that Spain's attitude was a sign of “disrespect” towards NATO. – What I was actually thinking about was punishing them trade-wise with tariffs for what they did. And I can do it, I think it's unimaginably disrespectful (on the part of) Spain, Trump said, answering journalists' questions during a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei.

Last week Trump said that maybe we should consider kicking Spain out of NATO due to the fact that it does not spend enough on defense.

They have no argument not to do it (…). Maybe you should, honestly, kick them out of NATO, he added at a meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

In recent months, Spain has been criticized by NATO allies, including the US, for its resistance to allocating 5%. GDP for defense. The government in Madrid argued, among other things, that spending at the level of 2.1% would be sufficient to meet the Alliance's goals, and also emphasized its involvement in missions on the eastern flank.

From Washington Natalia Dziurdzińska (PAP)

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