US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised Spain for its reluctance to increase defence spending to the 5% of GDP level proposed by NATO, and said the country might need to be expelled from the alliance.

Speaking at a press conference during the NATO summit in The Hague, Trump called Madrid's position "terrible" and emphasized that Spain remains the only allied country refusing to accept new commitments.

"Frankly speaking, perhaps Spain should be kicked out of NATO," " he said, adding that the country's economy is "doing very well" but could "explode" if threats escalate.

Trump's statement came after Spain secured an exemption from the 5% of GDP target, limiting itself to 2,1%, which the government considers "sufficient and realistic." Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, in response to Washington's threats of double tariffs, noted that decisions on foreign trade policy are made by the European Commission, not individual countries.