US President Donald Trump has lashed out at Spain, calling it a ‘wasted cause’ during a NATO summit in Ankara.
Trump expressed his frustration with Spain for refusing to pledge increased military spending for the alliance, which the US is the biggest contributor to. He stated that Spain is a ‘terrible partner in NATO’ and that they don’t participate or pay their fair share.
He continued to disparage the country, saying ‘don’t even talk to them, they’re hopeless, bad people.’ Trump also threatened to cut all trade with Spain, stating that they make a lot of money with the US and that he wants no business with them.
Spain has faced Trump’s wrath before, when the country closed its airspace to flights involved in the US-Iran war in March. The country has since maintained its good relationship with the US, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s office stating that they have no plans to change their relationship with the US.
Spain has committed to spending 2.1% of its GDP on NATO targets, significantly less than the target of 5% of GDP by 2035 set by other nations. The country has been criticized for not meeting its NATO obligations.
The US has increased its military presence in the region, with military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain coming under fire from Iran in recent days. Iran has claimed that the attacks were in retaliation to ceasefire violations.
The situation in the Gulf region appears to have escalated, with attempts to make peace in Iran appearing to have collapsed. The conflict has raised tensions between the US and Iran, with both countries trading threats and accusations.
The future of US-Spain relations remains uncertain, with Trump’s outburst casting a shadow over the country’s commitment to NATO and its relationship with the US.
The US and Iran have been embroiled in a conflict for months, with the US launching airstrikes on Iranian targets in response to attacks on US military sites in the region.
The conflict has led to a significant escalation in tensions between the two countries, with both sides trading threats and accusations.
