Spain stands up to Trump and NATO’S lack of forthrightness

Spain showed the world that it has the backbone to resist the strong-arm tactics of US President Donald Trump.

- ANDREW J. MASIGAN

Spain’s admirable courage was perfectly exemplified during the recently concluded NATO Summit held at The Hague last June. There, President Trump demanded that NATO members increase their defense spending to five percent of GDP.

Spain was the only nation that rejected Trump's demand. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described the five percent figure as “unreasonable and counterproductive,” citing negative impacts on welfare, pensions and other government programs. As a compromise, Sanchez committed to an aspiration to spend 2.1 percent of GDP on defense since this is the level the Spanish government deems feasible.

Slovakia signaled its refusal to commit too, stating it reserves its sovereign right to determine its own spending. And although not vocally outspoken, Belgium expressed discomfort on Trump’s five percent demand.

Spain and, to a lesser extent, Slovakia and Belgium, were left standing alone. The rest of NATO leaders readily yielded to Trump’s demand without a fight even if compliance could damage their respective economies.

Sanchez’s refusal to capitulate to Trump earned Spain the ire of the American leader. Trump said he would make Spain pay “one way or another” and later mentioned doubling Spain’s tariff rate for exports to the US.

Fast forward to October and Trump publicly floated the idea of expelling Spain from NATO altogether. This happened during a meeting in the Oval Office with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb. To the Finnish President, Trump said, “You people (referring to EU nations) are gonna (sic) have to start speaking to Spain ... You have to call them and find why are they a laggard ... Maybe you should throw ‘em (sic) out of NATO frankly.”