Trump threatens Spain’s NATO membership over defense spending dispute

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Reuters
Today 11:42

US President Trump calls for Spain’s removal from NATO over its refusal to meet a 5% defense spending target.

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United States President Donald Trump and Finland's President Alexander Stubb meet in the Oval Office at the White House, on October 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP)

United States President Donald Trump has escalated tensions within the NATO alliance after calling for Spain’s expulsion over its refusal to meet new defense spending requirements, warning that Madrid’s position undermines the alliance’s “credibility and strength.”

Speaking alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb at the White House, Trump said that NATO should “maybe throw 'em out,” referring to Spain’s decision to resist the newly adopted 5% of GDP defense spending target set at the June 2025 summit in The Hague.

“They have no excuse not to do this, but that's alright. Maybe you should throw 'em out of NATO frankly,” Trump said.

Spain rejects 5% spending mandate

The Trump administration has pressed NATO allies to substantially increase military expenditures by 2035 as part of what the US president describes as a “rearmament era” in response to global instability. Spain, however, secured an exemption from the 5% goal, committing instead to a 2.1% defense spending level, a move that has angered Washington.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez defended his government’s decision, calling the 5% mandate “unreasonable and counterproductive.”

He emphasized that Spain’s priorities remain centered on social welfare and economic stability, arguing that national defense “cannot come at the expense of social cohesion.”

Madrid has also cited differing strategic realities among member states, urging NATO to adopt “flexible and context-based” defense goals that take into account the economic and geographic diversity of its members.

NATO unity under strain

Trump’s remarks mark one of the sharpest public rebukes of a NATO ally since his return to office. No member state has ever been expelled from the alliance, and such an action would require unanimous approval from all 32 members, an unlikely outcome.

Nevertheless, the statement has raised concern in European capitals over the stability of transatlantic relations. Diplomats in Brussels and Berlin have reportedly warned that Trump’s comments risk deepening divisions within NATO at a moment when the alliance faces major geopolitical challenges. Spanish officials reiterated their “full commitment” to NATO obligations while rejecting any external pressure to alter domestic spending priorities.

The dispute underscores a widening rift between Washington and several European allies over defense contributions and policy direction. Trump has consistently demanded greater European burden-sharing, portraying NATO as “imbalanced” and “unfair” to US taxpayers.