Nato Countries Approve Hague Summit Statement With 5 Defence Spending Goal 2025 06 22
Reuters18 hrs
Spain Secures NATO Defense Spending Exemption Amid 5% Target
Above: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez speaking at the Spanish Congress of Deputies on June 18, 2025. Image copyright: Alberto Gardin/LightRocket/Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Spain's resistance to NATO's 5% defense hikes shows courage against imperial overreach. While other nations bow to Trump's military industry subsidies, Spain refuses to sacrifice its social programs for military expenditure. European taxpayers should not have to fund American weapons while its welfare state crumbles. Spain's exemption is the result of effective resistance against NATO's outdated empire fantasies.
Right narrative
Spain's rejection of NATO's 5% defense spending betrays European solidarity. After receiving nearly €250B in EU bailouts over the past decade, Sánchez is abandoning allies when security matters most. While grandstanding over left-wing ideals, his corruption-plagued government robs Spanish taxpayers and betrays those international partners who rescued Spain's economy.