On April 24, 2026, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated he is "not worried" following press reports that the United States was considering suspending Spain from NATO. The reports, which originated from unnamed sources, suggested that the potential suspension was in response to Spain's low defense spending relative to NATO's 2% of GDP target.
However, US officials have denied these claims. A spokesperson for the US National Security Council told Reuters that "there are no discussions underway to suspend Spain from NATO," calling the reports "baseless." NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also dismissed the idea, stating that "NATO is a consensus-based alliance, and suspension of a member state is not a mechanism that exists in the North Atlantic Treaty."
Spain currently spends approximately 1.3% of its GDP on defense, below the alliance's target of 2%. Sánchez has committed to reaching 2% by 2029, a timeline that has drawn criticism from some allies. Despite this, NATO officials emphasize that spending commitments are voluntary and not subject to punitive measures.
The controversy comes ahead of the NATO summit scheduled for June 2026 in The Hague, where defense spending is expected to be a key topic. Sánchez reiterated Spain's commitment to the alliance, saying, "Spain is a reliable ally, and we will continue to fulfill our obligations."
