STORY: U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Thursday (October 9) the NATO alliance should weigh throwing Spain out of its membership ranks over a dispute about the Western European nation's lagging military spending.

Members of the U.S.-backed security alliance agreed in June to sharply increase their military spending to 5% of gross domestic product, delivering on a major priority for Trump, who wants Europeans to spend more on their own defense.

But Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said at the time that he would not commit to the 5% target, calling it "incompatible with our welfare state and our world vision."

At an Oval Office meeting with the leader of NATO's second-newest member, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Trump said European leaders need to prevail upon Spain to boost its commitments to the alliance.

"You people are gonna have to start speaking to Spain," Trump said. "You have to call them and find why are they a laggard."

He added: "They have no excuse not to do this, but that's alright. Maybe you should throw 'em out of NATO frankly."

Spain joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1982. The 32-member collective-defense alliance has been in focus since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and launched the deadliest land war in Europe since World War Two.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: SOUNDBITES FROM U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 9, 2025) (UNRESTRICTED POOL - Access all)

1. U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SITTING NEXT TO FINLAND'S PRESIDENT, ALEXANDER STUBB

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"We're to work together very closely with Finland and with NATO. We have a very good relationship. As you know, I requested that they pay 5%, not 2%. And most people thought that was not going to happen. And it happened virtually unanimously. We had one laggard. It was Spain. Spain, you have to call and find why are they a laggard? And they're doing well, too. You know, I think because of a lot of the things we've done, they're doing fine. They have no excuse not to do this. But that's all right. Maybe you should throw them out of NATO. Frankly."

4. WHITE FLASH

5. TRUMP AND STUBB SITTING AS MEDIA LEAVED THE OVAL OFFICE