Trump Threatens Double Tariffs on Spain Over NATO Defense Spending

At a recent NATO summit, President Donald Trump sharply criticized Spain for refusing to increase its defense spending to the new NATO target of 5% of GDP, while most other members agreed to the raise. Trump called Spain "terrible" for maintaining its low defense budget of 1.3% and accused it of seeking a "free ride" on alliance security. In response, Trump threatened to impose double tariffs on Spain through upcoming trade negotiations, despite Spain being part of the European Union where trade deals are typically negotiated collectively by the EU Commission. Trump insisted he would negotiate directly with Spain to make it pay more on trade, emphasizing that Spain’s strong economy could suffer if security threats escalate. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte credited Trump for the broader defense spending agreement, but Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended his country’s position, citing welfare state concerns. The dispute highlights tensions between U.S. demands for burden-sharing in NATO and the complexities of U.S.-EU trade relations.