US President Donald Trump slammed Spain for failing to meet NATO’s defence spending target. He said Spain should be thrown out of NATO. The criticism came after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez refused to spend the alliance’s minimum 5 percent of GDP on defence.

Trump said nearly all NATO members had agreed to increase spending. He called Spain “one laggard” and added he achieved agreement “virtually unanimously”.

Trump made the remarks while meeting Finnish President Alexander Stubb at the White House. He said, “Maybe you should throw them out of NATO, frankly.”

Spain has “no excuse”

Speaking to reporters, Trump argued that Spain had “no excuse” for failing to increase defence spending. He noted that Spain’s economy was doing well under its government policies.

At the June NATO Summit in The Hague, allies pledged to spend 3.5 percent of GDP on core defence and 1.5 percent on security-related infrastructure and technology.

Sánchez negotiates lower target

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez secured an exception for Spain. He said the country could meet NATO requirements with 2.1 percent of GDP.

Spain has not responded to Trump’s expulsion suggestion. Government sources told The Telegraph, “Spain is a full member and committed to NATO. And it meets its capacity objectives just as much as the United States.”

NATO data shows Spain spent only 1.24 percent of GDP on defence in 2024. In April, Sánchez promised to increase spending to 2 percent by the end of 2025.

NATO membership rules

The NATO treaty does not allow expelling a member nation. Trump’s suggestion is therefore largely symbolic.