In an interview with the New York Post on March 5, 2026, President Trump publicly criticized Spain and expressed disappointment with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer regarding support for the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran.
President Trump claimed Spain has an uncooperative attitude within NATO and does not support the proposal to increase the alliance's defense spending.
“We have many good allies, but Spain is a disappointment,” President Trump said in the interview, suggesting that Madrid holds an unfriendly stance toward NATO.
He also mentioned that NATO nations are being called upon to contribute approximately 5% of their GDP to defense spending, and criticized Spain for not supporting this proposal despite the Senate supported his war powers to deal with threats.
Criticism of the UK's Stance
President Trump also expressed dissatisfaction with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, especially after PM Starmer hit back at Trump and refused to allow the U.S. to use military bases on British territory for the airstrike campaign against Iran.
“We should have been able to count on them,” President Trump said, arguing that the UK should have supported the U.S. “without hesitation” in the military campaign.
However, he noted that the personal relationship between the two leaders remains stable, though he is disappointed with London's decision on the matter.
The UK's Position
The British government stated that the decision not to participate in the initial strikes on Iran stemmed from the lack of a clear, comprehensive plan.
PM Starmer stated that his priority is protecting national interests and maintaining regional stability as world leaders called for de-escalation.
After Iran launched retaliatory strikes against several Middle Eastern countries, the UK announced an increased military presence, including the deployment of four additional fighter jets to Qatar and counter-drone helicopters to Cyprus to support defense.
Spain Refuses Base Access
Meanwhile, the Spanish government also refused to allow the U.S. to use military bases on its territory for missions related to the Iran campaign.
These developments occur amid rising regional tensions following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on military targets in Iran; key details were also outlined in President Trump’s address regarding the campaign.
