“I must say I had problems with Spain, and I still do, but today Spain completely redeemed itself. Spain was very generous today… they agreed to a major payment request, and if they hadn’t, we wouldn’t even be talking to them,” the US President stated just hours after publicly lashing out against Spain—calling it “a terrible partner” and “a lost cause”—and against Spaniards, whom he labeled “bad people.” This initial backlash was triggered by the Spanish Government’s refusal to raise defense spending from 2.1% to 5% of GDP, a commitment NATO allies made a year ago.
The Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, played down these attacks, assuring that bilateral relations with the United States remain very positive. Meanwhile, the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, is scheduled to hold a working meeting this Thursday with the US Ambassador to Spain, Benjamin Leon Jr.
