Spain’s Prime Minister has stated that the country is a “reliable partner” of NATO, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of Madrid’s insufficient financial contributions to the defense alliance.
Sánchez emphasized that over the past decade, Spain has increased its defense spending by 70%, and its investment in new equipment is 30% higher than the 20% required by NATO.
The Spanish Prime Minister also noted that Spain’s military participation in NATO operations “significantly exceeds the average.”
“We are a reliable partner, and I think one needs to take a broader view to understand whether the country is committed to the security of NATO allies,” Sánchez stressed.
According to NATO data, Spain spent $22.27 billion on defense in 2024, making it the tenth largest contribution in absolute terms among the 31 NATO members. However, this represents only about 1.28% of its GDP, which is the lowest percentage among NATO members.
Preliminary NATO data shows that last year the U.S. spent 3.38% of its GDP on defense.
On January 20, Trump, in response to a question about the country’s contributions to NATO, remarked that “Spain has a very low level.”
