US President Donald Trump has suggested that Spain should be expelled from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for failing to meet the new 5% defense spending target. Trump made the comment during a meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in the Oval Office, stating that Spain was the only “laggard” in the bloc’s push to increase military spending.

The US president has been a vocal advocate for NATO members to increase their defense spending, and his efforts culminated in a commitment from member states to hike defense spending to 5% of their GDP annually by 2035 at the June summit in The Hague. Trump praised the meeting as “the most unified and productive in history.”

However, not all NATO members were pleased with the development. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed concerns that his nation had “other priorities” and did not need to substantially increase spending to meet NATO demands. Spain, in particular, has emerged as a strong opponent of the spending increase, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez securing an exemption for Madrid ahead of the summit and proposing a more modest defense spending target of 2.1% of GDP.

Last year, Spain allocated the smallest share of its GDP to defense among NATO members, at around 1.3%. Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles has dismissed the 5% spending target as “absolutely impossible,” citing the lack of skilled labor and raw materials needed to expand production in European defense firms.

Trump’s suggestion to expel Spain from NATO has significant implications for the military bloc and its members. The US president has repeatedly emphasized the need for NATO members to shoulder the military spending burden equitably, and his comments on Spain’s defense spending reflect his frustration with the country’s lack of commitment to the 5% target.

The dispute over defense spending highlights the ongoing challenges faced by NATO in achieving unity among its member states. As the bloc continues to navigate complex security issues, the question of how to balance defense spending and prioritize resources remains a pressing concern. With the 5% spending target set to be implemented by 2035, NATO members will be closely watched to see how they meet their commitments, and the fate of Spain’s membership in the bloc remains uncertain.