Trump Threatens Tariffs on Spain Over NATO Defense Spending Dispute

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Spain, threatening trade penalties and tariffs over its refusal to boost defense spending to 5% of GDP. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Trump expressed his frustration, calling Spain’s stance “disrespectful” to NATO and suggesting potential punitive economic measures.

“I’m very unhappy with Spain. They’re the only country that didn’t raise their number up to 5%... so I’m not happy with Spain,” Trump said. “I was thinking of giving them trade punishment through tariffs because of what they did, and I think I may do that.”

Trump, known for pressuring NATO allies to meet higher defense commitments, recently urged the alliance to expel Spain for failing to comply. During a meeting with Finland’s president last week, he argued that NATO should take a tougher stance against members who do not contribute sufficiently to collective defense, particularly amid heightened tensions with Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The 32-member alliance had agreed to increase military spending from the long-standing target of 2% of GDP to 5%, citing the growing threat from Moscow. However, Spain was the only member to reject the new target.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended his government’s position, saying Madrid’s contribution of 2.1% of GDP was “sufficient and realistic.” He emphasized that Spain compensates for lower spending through active participation in NATO missions, including troop deployments in Latvia, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey.

Spain, which joined NATO in 1982, maintains that its operational support and military cooperation demonstrate its commitment to the alliance’s collective security—despite not meeting Trump’s proposed spending threshold.