U.S. President Donald Trump recently made a statement that caused confusion and concern in Spain, as he mistakenly referred to the country as a member of the BRICS bloc of developing economies. The BRICS bloc consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and Spain is not a part of it. Spain is, in fact, a member of NATO and the European Union.
During a press interaction, Trump incorrectly stated that Spain was a BRICS nation when discussing NATO countries that do not meet the alliance's defense spending target of 2% of economic output. Spain, which spent around 1.28% on defense last year, ranked last among the 32 NATO member countries.
Trump's remarks included a threat to impose significant tariffs on BRICS nations, proposing a 100% tariff on their business dealings with the United States. This stance is part of his broader economic agenda that aims to reshape trade policies.
Following Trump's statement, Spanish Education Minister Pilar Alegría clarified that Spain is not a member of BRICS and expressed uncertainty about the President's comment. She emphasized Spain's longstanding commitment to NATO, highlighting the country's role as a reliable ally of the United States.
Spain, along with seven other nations, fell short of meeting NATO's defense spending target last year. Trump has advocated for NATO members to increase their defense spending to 5%.
