Alex Trelinski
US President Donald Trump has criticised Spain for not doing enough to boost defence spending compared to other NATO member states.
Speaking on Air Force One on Monday en route to the NATO summit in The Hague, Trump commented: “Spain is a problem in terms of NATO spending.”
“It does not agree with increasing defence investments and that is very unfair to the rest,” he added.
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Trump’s reaction comes after the Pedro Sanchez government has openly rejected plans to allocate 5% of its GDP on defence by 2032- a demand made on all NATO members, and also the US.
The president has wanted spending by NATO members to rise to bring them into line, percentage-wise, with America’s contributions.
Seven years ago, Trump even threatened to leave the military alliance formed after the Second World War if countries did not contribute more.
The deal struck between Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, and NATO Secretary-General, Mark Rutte, allows Spain to wriggle out of the 5% commitment so long as it meets agreed ‘capacity objectives’.
Rutte has made it clear that a Spanish GDP percentage of 2.1% is not enough and believes it will have to up that to 3.5%- at least.
Currently only Poland and the Baltic states come close to the 5% Trump target.
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