CaliToday (10/10/2025): President Donald Trump has sent a new wave of apprehension through the transatlantic alliance by publicly stating he would consider ousting Spain from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The pointed remarks, made during a recent public appearance, center on his long-standing grievance that many member nations are failing to meet their defense spending obligations.
This declaration reignites concerns among allies about the United States' commitment to the principle of collective defense and signals a potential renewal of pressure on NATO members to increase their military budgets.
"They Have to Pay Their Bills"
In his characteristic off-the-cuff style, President Trump singled out Spain as an example of an ally not contributing its "fair share" to the alliance.
"We protect everybody, we're protecting Spain. And they're not paying their bills," the President stated. "We have to look at that very seriously. If a country is not going to pay, why should we be protecting them? We'll have to look at whether they should even be in the group."
At the core of the issue is the NATO guideline, agreed upon in 2014, that member states should commit a minimum of 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense spending. While spending has increased across the alliance in recent years, Spain has consistently remained one of the members furthest from this target. Recent figures show its defense expenditure hovering around 1.2-1.3% of GDP.
A Pattern of Pressure
This is not the first time President Trump has used the threat of withdrawal or exclusion to leverage financial commitments from allies. Throughout his time in politics, he has consistently framed NATO as a transactional arrangement, questioning the value of defending nations that he views as delinquent on their financial commitments.
His latest comments targeting a specific nation, however, mark a significant escalation. Analysts suggest this tactic aims to publicly pressure Madrid and serve as a stark warning to other member states, such as Germany and Canada, who have also historically fallen short of the 2% target.
Reactions from Europe
The statement was met with immediate and widespread concern in European capitals. The Spanish government is expected to respond, likely reaffirming its commitment to the alliance while highlighting its contributions to NATO missions abroad.
In Brussels, NATO officials have privately expressed alarm, emphasizing that the alliance's strength lies in its unity and unconditional security guarantees, as enshrined in Article 5. Publicly questioning a member's status, critics argue, risks eroding the solidarity that is the bedrock of the 76-year-old alliance.
While it remains uncertain whether this threat represents a formal policy shift or is primarily rhetorical pressure, the remarks alone have reintroduced a level of instability and unpredictability into the future of the transatlantic security partnership.
