Trump, revenge against Spain: Madrid suspended by NATO. Sanchez’s plan and response

Trump’s attacks

Trump, on the other hand, in recent weeks has not hidden his discontent with the positions taken by Madrid. In the past, the American president has also criticized the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for the contribution deemed insufficient to the NATO budget. The latest attack came a few days ago with a post on the social network Truth: “Has anyone seen how badly Spain is doing as a country? Their accounts, despite the almost zero contribution to NATO and military defense, are absolutely horrendous”, the words of the number 1 in the White House.

The plan to punish Madrid

Now, from words we risk moving on to facts. According to what emerged, the e-mail defines the so-called ‘Abo’ (Access, Basing, Overflight, i.e. the rights of access, stationing in bases and overflight that the United States has requested from the Allies for the ongoing war operations with Iran) as “the absolute minimum level for NATO”. Among the options contemplated in the email is the suspension of ‘difficult’ countries from important or prestigious positions within the Alliance.

The email does not suggest that the United States move forward with an exit from the Alliance nor does it propose closing bases in Europe. But it is not known whether it foresees a partial withdrawal of US forces from Europe.

What the Pentagon says

Asked for comment, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson responded: “As President Trump said, for all the United States has done for our NATO allies, they have not stood by us.” “The War Department will ensure that the President has credible options to ensure that our allies are no longer a paper tiger, but instead do their part. We have no further comment on any internal deliberations in this regard,” Wilson said.

“The policy options outlined in the email would be intended to send a strong signal to NATO allies with the aim of ‘diminishing the Europeans’ sense of claim’an official said, summarizing the contents of the email message. The option of suspending Spain from the alliance – states the email – would have a limited effect on US military operations on the one hand, and a significant symbolic impact on the other.

Spain’s reaction

Madrid’s reaction to the news arrives shortly. In Spain “we don’t work on emails, but on official documents and the official positions of the United States of America. Spain’s position is clear: absolute collaboration with its allies, but always within the framework of international law“, says Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez from Nicosia on the sidelines of the informal European Council.