US President Donald Trump said, during a press conference at the White House with his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb, that Spain may be expelled from NATO due to its delay in increasing defense spending. Trump added: “I asked them to pay 5%, not 2%, and that was supposed to happen, but Spain is late… Maybe they should be kicked out of NATO.”
Demands to increase defense spending
Trump explained that Spain has no excuse for its delay in committing to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, stressing that this decision was agreed upon during the NATO meeting in The Hague last June, where 32 allied countries pledged to increase defense spending from 2% to 5%. Trump said: “We have to communicate with them to find out why they are late. They are performing really well, but there is no excuse for not doing what they promised.”
Spain’s position on the Israeli attack on Gaza
Spain is one of the most vocal European countries against the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip. In an unprecedented move, the Spanish government banned the use of the country’s main military bases, such as the Rota and Moron de la Frontera bases, for transfers of American weapons to Israel.
Unprecedented Spanish measures
The Spanish measures included stopping arms exports to Tel Aviv, preventing its participation in the Eurovision singing competition, in addition to canceling the final stage of the famous cycling race after pro-Palestine protests in Madrid. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his government, describing its position as a “shame on Spain.”
Spain’s recognition of Palestine and its popular support
Spain officially recognized the State of Palestine last year, and Sánchez described this as “a matter of historical justice and a response to the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people,” as he considered it a necessary step to achieve peace. A poll conducted by the Royal Elcano Institute showed that 82% of Spaniards see what is happening in Gaza as “genocide,” which reflects popular support for the government’s position.
