Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares defended Spain's commitment to NATO and its defense spending during a recent interview with RTVE [1].
The discussion arrives as the Spanish government navigates shifting rhetoric from U.S. leadership and manages international cooperation efforts across Europe and Latin America.
Albares addressed the evolving posture of Donald Trump toward Spain. While some reports suggest Trump moved from threatening to cut trade to claiming Spain has redeemed itself through payments, Albares said to Cadena SER that he did not know exactly what the comments referred to [1]. He later said that the government would not spend its time constantly commenting on every remark.
A central point of the interview focused on military expenditures. Albares said that Spain currently allocates 2% of its gross domestic product to defense spending [3]. This figure is framed against a broader NATO goal for allies to reach a spending target of 5% of their GDP [3].
"Spain complies with NATO," Albares said [2]. He further suggested that other member nations should follow Spain's lead, stating, "I wish all allies complied like Spain" [2].
Beyond transatlantic relations, the minister discussed strategic cooperation with France, and the Spanish government's efforts to provide aid to victims of the earthquake in Venezuela [1].
The interview, conducted by journalist Lluís Guilera, originally took place on June 6, 2026 [3], and was later released via RTVE's digital platforms on July 9 [4].
“Spain complies with NATO.”
Spain is attempting to insulate its diplomatic relations from the volatility of U.S. political rhetoric by anchoring its value to the alliance in quantifiable metrics. By highlighting its 2% GDP defense contribution, Madrid aims to project an image of reliability and stability within NATO, regardless of whether the U.S. administration shifts its demands or its perception of Spanish cooperation.
