Khaberni - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that NATO should consider expelling Spain from its membership because of a dispute over delays by the Western European country in increasing military spending.
The alliance members, supported by the United States, agreed in June to significantly increase their military spending to five percent of GDP, fulfilling a key priority for Trump who wants Europeans to spend more on their defense.
However, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said at the time that he would not adhere to the five percent target, describing it as "not compatible with a welfare state and our global view."
Trump said European leaders need to persuade Spain to enhance its commitments to the alliance, during a meeting in the Oval Office with the leader of NATO's second newest member country, Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
Trump added, "You need to start talking to Spain... You need to reach out to them and figure out why they are delaying."
He continued, "They have no excuse for not doing so, but it's okay. Perhaps you should frankly expel them from NATO."
Spain joined NATO in 1982. The alliance, which now has 32 members, has been in the spotlight since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
