Spain Affirms NATO Commitment Amidst Trump's Controversial Expulsion Proposal
Spain firmly rejects former President Trump's call for its NATO expulsion, affirming its status as a loyal member committed to agreed defense spending targets.
- • Spain dismisses Trump's proposal of NATO expulsion, affirming full membership and loyalty.
- • Spain aims to meet the agreed 2% GDP defense spending target set at the recent NATO summit.
- • Washington Treaty provides no legal framework for expelling NATO members; only voluntary withdrawal is possible.
- • Spain's defense contributions and alliance role are actively recognized by NATO and the U.S.
Key details
Former U.S. President Donald Trump recently suggested that Spain should be expelled from NATO due to the country’s failure to increase its military spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. In response, Spain’s government maintained a calm and firm stance, emphasizing its loyalty and full membership within the alliance, and reaffirming the country's ongoing commitment to NATO's objectives.
Spanish officials, including President Pedro Sánchez and Minister of the Presidency Félix Bolaños, stressed that Spain is a reliable NATO partner actively fulfilling its military obligations. Bolaños clarified that Spain’s target of 2% of GDP in defense spending aligns with agreements made during the last NATO summit in June, where the figure was agreed upon jointly with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The opposition Popular Party also highlighted Spain’s consistent reliability within NATO despite the criticism on spending levels.
Defense Minister Margarita Robles underscored Spain's significant contributions to NATO missions across various countries, emphasizing that the U.S. regards Spain as a genuine ally. The proposed 2% GDP defense spending will require an investment of approximately 10.471 billion euros, bringing the total defense budget to 33.123 billion euros. However, the idea of increasing spending to 5%, as Trump suggested, would elevate costs above 80 billion euros, raising concerns about possible cuts to social welfare programs.
Crucially, the Washington Treaty, NATO’s founding charter, offers no legal mechanism to expel members; only voluntary withdrawal with a one-year notice is allowed under Article 13. Experts note that forced expulsion would be unprecedented and highly complex, potentially causing Spain to lose the collective defense guarantees under Article 5 and face isolation in global security matters. Economic consequences could include diminished investor confidence and loss of defense contracts.
Spain's government continues to balance its defense commitments with social spending priorities while affirming its status as a loyal and fully integrated NATO member, rejecting any notion of expulsions or withdrawal as unfounded.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.