In a recent press interaction, President Donald Trump sparked confusion and concern by mistakenly suggesting that Spain is a member of the BRICS economic bloc. During a discussion about military spending at a HuffPost event, Trump stated, “Spain is very low,” referring to the country’s defense spending, but then erroneously classified it as a BRICS nation while addressing a question about NATO.

BRICS, which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, does not include Spain, a fact that drew swift reactions across Europe. Spain, being a NATO member, only spent about 1.28% of its GDP on defense in the previous year, falling short of NATO's 2% spending requirement. This raises doubts about the solidity of NATO alliances while also highlighting potential implications for economic relationships, especially as Trump has threatened imposing “at least a 100% tariff on the business they do with the United States.”

The remark led Spanish Education Minister Pilar Alegría to comment, “I don’t know if the affirmation made by President Trump was the result of a mix-up or not, but I can confirm that Spain is not in BRICS.” She reaffirmed that Spain has been a loyal NATO ally for nearly forty years, emphasizing the longstanding relationship between Spain and the U.S.

While Trump aims for NATO members to increase their defense spending to 5%, his geographical miscalculation raises eyebrows in Spain and beyond, prompting questions about his understanding of international dynamics and the implications for U.S.-European relations. For more insights into Trump’s geopolitical misstep, refer to the Daily Beast.