Donald Trump has once again sharply criticized Spain, stating on his social network Truth that the country’s economic situation is ‘regrettable’ and alleging that Spain is not fulfilling its defense commitments under NATO. These remarks came amid fresh data from the International Monetary Fund, which this week named Spain the leader in growth among developed European economies. According to the IMF, for the fifth consecutive year, the country has shown the best GDP growth in the European Union.
While Trump highlights ‘catastrophic’ economic results, official statistics tell a different story. Spain’s labor market continues to strengthen: in March alone, more than 211,000 new jobs were created, bringing the total number of employed to a record 22 million. Analysts note that Spain has become an example of sustainable economic recovery after the pandemic, despite external challenges and political disagreements.
NATO contributions and Madrid’s stance
The issue of defense spending was also at the forefront. Following last year’s agreement among NATO member states, an increase in the military budget to 5% of GDP was planned. However, Pedro Sánchez’s government stated it would be able to meet the necessary commitments by keeping spending slightly above 2% of GDP, equivalent to about 35 billion euros. Spain has officially reaffirmed its commitment to the Alliance’s goals but refused a sharp increase in the budget, explaining this by the effectiveness of existing programs.
Democracy Summit and the International Context
Trump’s statements came amid the democracy summit taking place in Barcelona. The Spanish government invited leaders of progressive countries to the meeting, including Pedro Sánchez, Lula da Silva, Claudia Sheinbaum, Gustavo Petro, and Cyril Ramaphosa. The summit participants show unity in the face of external pressure and emphasize the importance of joint action to defend democratic values. As El Pais notes, this event has become a significant development on Spain’s international agenda.
Restrictions for US Military and Washington’s Response
A new wave of criticism from Trump coincided with the Spanish government’s decision to restrict the use of its airspace for American military aircraft conducting missions in Iran. This was previously reported by the US broadcaster CBS, citing an exclusive from El Pais. In response, Trump wrote that Spain “did not support” the US on this issue. Such disagreements have already been a topic of discussion at international meetings, as was the case during the recent summit in Barcelona, where, according to russpain.com, issues of coalitions and political balance were discussed (more on the talks in Barcelona).
