US leader Donald Trump has openly admitted to reporters that he could propose expelling Spain from NATO, saying the country is not spending enough on defense.
Points of attention
- The statements made by Trump highlight the tensions within NATO regarding defense spending commitments and the expectations set by the US towards its allies.
- The implication of expelling a country from NATO has significant geopolitical repercussions, affecting international relations and security dynamics in the region.
Trump is unhappy with Spain's actions
The head of the White House once again reminded that NATO members agreed to fulfill his demand to allocate 5% of GDP to defense spending.
Importantly, 3.5% of this should go to core military spending, and 1.5% to broader security investments.
Spain was the only country that did not agree to this demand.
We had one country that was lagging behind, Spain. You should call them and find out why they're lagging behind... They're also succeeding because of a lot of the things we've done. They're fine. They have no excuse for it, but it's not a big deal. Honestly, maybe you should kick them out of NATO.
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Against this backdrop, the head of the White House praised Finland for increasing military spending.
It's no secret that this was largely a reaction to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"You did the right thing. Spain didn't do it. Spain didn't do it, so I think you're going to have to start talking to Spain," Trump said, addressing Finnish President Stubbs.
