For the fifth time in two weeks, US President Donald Trump has once again taken aim at Spain, pressing the country to boost its defence spending to 5% of GDP.
‘Now [everyone] pays 5%, unlike before when they didn’t pay 2%. Except for Spain. I think you should talk to Spain. Spain is not being a team player. So, apart from Spain, everyone is at one hundred percent, and the Spanish problem could be solved very easily. I think you could,’ Trump told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday at the Oval Office.
The president’s remarks came unprompted during a discussion about the Alliance. He described himself as a ‘very proud member’ of NATO, highlighting that ‘the US maintains an excellent relationship with NATO countries, which I believe improved greatly after our visit a few months ago when they agreed on 5% instead of 2% of GDP. It was a great concession’.
‘Two years ago, a year ago, not even nine months ago, they would have said that’s not possible,’ he said, before turning his attention to the Spanish government.
On Thursday, responding to Trump’s latest comments about Spain not being a ‘team player’, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said his government had ‘more than fulfilled’ the commitments made at the 2014 NATO summit, when the 2% GDP target was originally set, and that the figure had already been reached by 2025 after years of sustained increases.
‘Since I became Prime Minister,’ Sánchez said, ‘Spain has not only fulfilled its obligations, but has also corrected the shortcomings inherited from previous governments.’ He was speaking from Brussels, where he was participating in a European Council meeting.
On Wednesday in the Oval Office, NATO chief Rutte did not respond to Trump’s comment, listening in silence during the exchange. The Dutch leader had already addressed the issue in July during the Hague Summit, where Spanish PM Sánchez reached an agreement to be excluded from the 5% goal. ALSO READ: Spain reaches deal with NATO to be excluded from 5% defence spending goal.
At the time, Rutte had little choice but to accept the limited flexibility from Spain, so that Madrid would not block the Hague declaration. In essence, Spain agreed to the terms but made clear it would not reach 5%, arguing it wasn’t required. A future review will determine progress. ALSO READ: NATO leaders agree to increase spending and reiterate ‘ironclad commitment’ to collective defence.
‘Spain has committed to meeting capacity objectives. They say “we can do it with a percentage below 3.5%”. I told them they couldn’t and soon we will know who is right,’ Rutte told reporters outside the White House.
Trump first raised the matter of Spain just two weeks ago (9 October) in the Oval Office, sitting in the same chairs during a meeting with Finnish President Alex Stubb – going so far as to float the extraordinary idea of ‘perhaps having to expel Spain from NATO’. ALSO READ: Trump suggests Spain should be ‘thrown out’ of NATO due to low defence spend.
Days later, when pressed by a Spanish journalist, he revisited the topic but shifted to discussing potential tariff sanctions. Then, during a visit to Egypt, and in the presence of Pedro Sánchez, he made another confused intervention, calling on NATO – or perhaps the broader international community – to ‘work on’ Sánchez to meet the 5% goal – yet also telling the Spanish leader he was doing a ‘fantastic job’. ALSO READ: Trump tells Sánchez he’s doing a ‘fantastic job’ – days after suggesting Spain should be thrown out of NATO.
And last Friday, again responding to a Spanish reporter, he returned to the theme, arguing that Spain deserved a ‘rebuke’ for being ‘disloyal’, and again threatening the country with tariffs. ALSO READ: Spanish government hits back after renewed tariff threats from Donald Trump over defence spending.
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🔴 EN DIRECTO
Declaraciones del presidente del Gobierno, @sanchezcastejon, a su llegada la cumbre del Consejo Europeo que se celebra en Bruselas.#EUCO https://t.co/bJninoiNrJ
— La Moncloa (@desdelamoncloa) October 23, 2025
Trump acusa a España de no “jugar en equipo” en la OTAN por su negativa a elevar el gasto militar al 5% https://t.co/Z3GdqzyaVY
— RTVE Noticias (@rtvenoticias) October 22, 2025
🔴 Sánchez se pronuncia por primera vez ante los ataques de Trump: “No solo cumplimos, también corregimos los errores de anteriores gobiernos”
Donald Trump ha vuelto a criticar a España por su gasto en defensa, asegurando que “no juega en equipo” 👇🏻https://t.co/35s4j2Hv2Y
— Onda Cero (@OndaCero_es) October 23, 2025
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