Donald Trump is doubly "disappointed with Spain", and that is how he will attend the NATO summit next week in Ankara, Turkey. "There is no doubt. Both for the issues related to access to the bases and overflights that we saw during Operation Epic Fury, and for their lack of willingness to demonstrate a credible and serious path towards the 5% of GDP in Defense goal," explained the United States ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Matthew Whitaker, in a briefing he offered this Wednesday prior to that important meeting.
The US official refers, on the one hand, to Spain's refusal to grant the Morón and Rota bases to the United States in the Iran war, a situation that has already been criticized by Trump. And not only towards Spain, but also towards Italy. In fact, the tycoon has broken his good relationship with the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, over this issue, and has also pointed out the lack of collaboration from the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz.
On the other hand, the ambassador also recalled Spain's refusal to go further in military spending. The Government ensures that it will not exceed 2.1% of GDP, while the goal set at the last NATO summit is to move towards 5% of GDP, divided into 3.5% in pure military spending and an additional 1.5% in defense-related investments. But the Spanish Government refuses to move towards that level of investment.
Whitaker, however, clarified that he does not expect the summit to turn into a confrontation between Trump and the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez. That is, not to happen just like what occurred at that same meeting in The Hague.
"I do not expect the summit to become a situation of that kind," he explained, although at the same time he added that "the president has made his position very clear." "I know that the Spanish are aware of our stance, and I would simply remind everyone that it was the 32 NATO allies who unanimously approved the Defense Pledge in The Hague, and we expect everyone to fulfill the promises they made," he added.
In short, Trump is upset. And knowing the character of the US president and the fact that the head of the Spanish government considers any discussion with the tycoon politically and electorally positive for him, it cannot be ruled out, much less any kind of discussion.