Sánchez downplays Trump's attacks on Spain, discusses football and golf

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has dismissed recent criticisms from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Spain's defense spending and its support for U.S. operations against Iran. Trump had labeled Spain a "lost cause" and threatened to break off commercial relations.

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a lost cause

Sánchez arrived at the NATO summit in Ankara armed with data he believes demonstrates Spain's full commitment to the alliance. While Trump initially refrained from attacking Spain in his early remarks, he later reiterated his criticisms before the summit sessions began.

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they are bad people

Spanish government sources responded to Trump's comments with calmness, reiterating that the U.S. cannot unilaterally break commercial ties with an EU member state, as such relations are with the bloc as a whole. Despite the public friction, Sánchez revealed that he and Trump had an informal, cordial conversation during the summit.

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without tension

According to Sánchez, the discussion was friendly and focused on topics like the World Cup and golf, with no reproaches made by Trump towards Spain. This private exchange contrasted sharply with Trump's public statements. Sánchez emphasized that Spain fulfills its commitments, citing its military presence in NATO missions, including an upcoming deployment to protect the Arctic in Finland, and its consistent defense spending of 2% of GDP. He suggested that public declarations differ from the reality of international relations.

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with absolute and total cordiality