How Spain stands for Trump on defense and China

Spain’s somewhat unique approach to defense and foreign policy irritates tensions with the Trump administration.

The Spanish government recently give up American aircraft purchases and resisted the severe pressure to adhere to 5 % of NATO The goal of defensive spendingDuring search Economic relations are closer With China.

Completely, analysts say Spain has become a rare example of a European country ready to attract the anger of the American president Donald Trump.

It is worth noting, despite Trump to threaten A difficult trade deal for Spain, the southern European state has not yet faced material consequences.

“Spain is an interesting situation in Europe because it is in fact the only country that publicly restores Trump while everyone tries to maintain their head most of the time,” Federico Santi, a great analyst who focuses on southern Europe in the Eurasia Group, told CNBC.

Santi said that what is special for Spain is the “outstanding weakness” of the country’s left -wing coalition government, which was Involved In a series of scandals and investigations corruption.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has led the country since 2018, rejected calls by legislators opposed to resignation. Instead, the leader of the Spanish Socialist Labor Party said that he intends to run for his re -election in 2027.

Santi from the Eurasia Group said the opportunity to focus on major foreign policy issues such as defense, can help Sanchez to divert the attention of the public from its local problems.

“Spain has generally moved away with its external criticism of Trump for two main reasons. No one, is in the European Union. South Africaor BrazilSanti said that from the world who faced a very violent response from Trump in the form of a higher tariff, it is somewhat protected from that.

He added: “The other point I think this works for Sanchez is that Trump does not seem to be interested or familiar with Spain as a country. I mean he is aware of that, but he is not really on his radar.”

A Spanish government spokesman did not respond to CNBC’s request to comment.

The Spanish Ministry of Defense said last week that it is no longer considering the option to buy the F-35S of the United States, Reuters mentionedInstead, they are preferred to replace its fighter fleet in European military aircraft.

The decision to get rid of Lockheed MartinThe combat aircraft came after Trump said, “Can”awesome“Madrid will not abide by the goal of NATO defensive spending, which is 5 % of GDP by 2035.

Speaking at a press conference at the NATO annual summit in the Netherlands in late June, Trump said the Spanish economy “could come out of water with something bad.”

The American president also threatened to make Spain pay “twice what” is trade, and criticized Madrid because of his desire to take a “little free journey” for defense.

The United States and the European Union, however, since then Fell A framework trade agreement means that the bloc is 27 countries will face a 15 % tariff on the European Union commodities, the European Union is negotiating collectively on commercial deals, which means that Spain benefits from the collective deal that Brussels hit.

In a blatant contradiction, it was Switzerland, which is not a member of the European Union, Dump The US tariff rate is 39 % on the main export products.

“The geographical distance of Spain from Russia and the distinctive features of its foreign policy that extends to its last war in 1898, which was against the United States, said that Madrid is looking at its relationship with Washington as” less vital “than other European Union countries.

“The dominant political culture in Spain is more supportive of Europe than the Atlantic Ocean. Even with regard to Ukraine (strongly supported by Spain), Spain’s main focus is on an attempt to join the European Union and receive refugees, and not on its membership in NATO or arms delivery operations.”

Molina has highlighted that relations between Spain and the United States are complicated by the fact that the Spanish government is the “most ideological tendencies” in all of Europe.

“This offers a local political temptation to distance Trump, who is not very popular in Spain, including between the right -wing voters in the center,” said Molina.

The United States and the European Union recently criticized Sanchez’s decision to grant a Multi -millions of euros To the Chinese technology giant Huawei to use telephone call technology.

Christina Cash, an older colleague in the German Marshall Fund in the United States, and a research tank actress in Madrid, said Spain’s in -depth relations with China raised eyebrows in the United States and parts of Europe.

“While this repeats a wider desire in Europe to restore the strategic balance, European Union leaders have confirmed that such a balance must be based in reciprocity,” Kush said.

By resisting American purchase pressures on defense, Kausch Cnbc told Spain that Europe’s determination to develop military capabilities and industrial capacity independently.

Even with the cover of the European Union membership, Kush said the approach is unlikely to be risk -free.

“Spain gives a voice to the fears that are also shared, more or less, by the allies of the European Union or other NATO. It shows leadership, but it is also a great gamble that can bring counter -results on Sanchez personally, in Spain, and in Europe,” she added.

CNBC Charlotte Reed He contributed to this report.