President Trump on Wednesday laid into Spain for expressing reservations about a rise in NATO protection spending, drawing his ire throughout his press convention on the alliance’s summit on Wednesday.
NATO allies earlier Wednesday authorised a plan to extend their protection spending from 2 p.c of gross home product to five p.c by 2035. NATO Secretary-Common Mark Rutte has credited Trump for laying the groundwork for the rise.
However Spain has expressed reservations about growing its share.
“I think Spain’s terrible what they’ve done. No, I do. They’re the only country that won’t pay the full — they want to stay at 2 percent,” Trump stated in response to a Spanish reporters query.
The president recommended he would reply by making Spain “pay twice as much” as a part of a commerce deal. Spain is a part of the European Union, which the U.S. is negotiating with as a buying and selling bloc.
“I do like Spain, by the way,” Trump stated. “I think it’s unfair that they’re not paying.”
He later stated he would negotiate with Spain on the matter straight.
Trump earlier stated he was leaving the NATO summit within the Netherlands with a higher appreciation for the alliance and that it was not a “ripoff.”
“I left here differently. I left here saying these people really love their countries. It’s not a ripoff and we’re here to help them protect their country,” Trump stated.
It was uncommon reward from Trump for the NATO alliance. He has for years criticized its members for not placing sufficient towards protection spending and at instances recommended the U.S. could not come to the help of delinquent members.
