Trump Threatens Spain with Sanctions Over NATO Defense Spending Dispute

🔹 Trump declared in The Hague that Spain will pay double in trade talks

🔹 Madrid rejected NATO's 5% GDP defense spending target, saying it can fulfill commitments without it

🔹 Macron criticizes Trump: "We can't be allies and wage a trade war at the same time"

Donald Trump has once again stirred the international scene—this time with a statement at the NATO summit in The Hague, where he threatened Spain with trade sanctions for rejecting the alliance's new ambitious goal: spending 5% of GDP on defense.

The former U.S. president, who still holds significant influence in American foreign policy, stated:

“Their decision is terrible. We’re negotiating a trade deal with Spain—and we’ll make them pay twice as much.”

The statement raised eyebrows, as Spain, like other EU members, does not conduct individual trade negotiations with the U.S.—these matters are handled by the European Commission on behalf of all 27 member states. Therefore, if Trump truly wanted to impose such a “penalty,” he would have to embed it in a broader trade deal with the entire European Union—something that would almost certainly meet strong resistance, especially in Brussels.

Trump Praises Himself, Says NATO Leaders Call Him “Dad”

Instead of focusing solely on Spain’s refusal, Trump spent much of the summit highlighting his own influence.

“They said: ‘You did it, sir, you did it,’” Trump recalled with a smile, clearly enjoying the attention. Jokingly, he added that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called him “dad”—“very lovingly,” he clarified. Standing beside him, Marco Rubio struggled to keep a straight face.

This NATO gathering was notably calmer than those during Trump’s first term, when the alliance was tense over his doubts about Article 5 and collective defense. This time, however, Trump stated:

“NATO is not a scam. I left with respect—these people really love their countries. We’re here to help them protect their nations.”

Macron: Allies Shouldn’t Threaten Each Other with Trade Wars

French President Emmanuel Macron responded sharply to Trump’s remarks. After the summit, he said:

“We cannot, as allies, say that we need to spend more and then wage a trade war at the same time. We must return to what should be the rule among allies—real trade peace.”

Macron was also the only leader to openly criticize Trump for his decision to strike Iran last week.

Trump Compares Iran Strike to Hiroshima, Claims U.S. Destroyed a Nuclear Weapon

At a press conference, Trump declared that the U.S. strike on Iran had been “very, very successful—total destruction” and compared it to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

“We used bunker-busting bombs and destroyed their nuclear weapon. It’s blown up... the birth of a new kingdom,” he said dramatically.

Trump added that U.S. intelligence agencies assessed the strike as highly effective. He accused CNN and The New York Times of “disrespecting” American soldiers through their reporting.

“We hit them so fast they didn’t have time to move,” he claimed.

Trump Meets Zelensky, Says Putin Must End the War

Before stepping on stage, Trump met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for nearly an hour. He described Zelensky as “very nice” and praised the courage of the Ukrainian people. When asked whether he would approve more defense aid, Trump answered vaguely: “We’ll see what happens.”

A Ukrainian journalist mentioned her husband is serving in the military. Trump responded directly:

“Vladimir Putin really must end this war.”

At the end of the press conference, Trump was asked why he believed the latest ceasefire between Iran and Israel would last. He answered simply:

“They’re both tired, exhausted. Both were happy to go home and walk away.”

🔻 Summary

Once again, Trump stirs the waters of international diplomacy—this time with threats against Spain, dramatic praise of NATO, and bold declarations about Iran. While some European leaders seek calm and unity, Trump continues his signature blend of bravado and controversy.

#TRUMP , #Zelenskyy , #Geopolitics , #TradeWars , #USPolitics

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