Spanish
Brussels, June 26 (EFE).- The head of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, responded this Thursday to the threats of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, stressing that Spain is a sovereign country and that it is clear that trade policy is the responsibility of Brussels, while criticizing its "unfair" tariffs.
Sánchez responded in this way to Trump in statements to journalists upon his arrival at the meeting of the European Council held in Brussels, in which he emphasized that the Government continues to consider the United States "a friend of Spain".
After the head of the Spanish Executive reiterated at the NATO summit in The Hague that Spain will not spend more than 2.1% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, Trump threatened to negotiate a trade agreement directly with the Government and make the country "pay double" to compensate for that situation.
When asked if he fears the consequences of that threat, the Prime Minister recalled the statements of the Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo, in which he already answered Trump by reminding him that trade policy is directed from Brussels and it is the European Union (EU) that negotiates it on behalf of all member states.
But he took the opportunity to criticize the trade war provoked by the President of the United States, with "unfair and unilateral" tariff measures.
Furthermore, in the case of Spain, it considered them doubly unfair because it has a trade deficit with the United States.
Sánchez explained that, after the tariffs imposed by Trump on the EU, what the Twenty-Seven have done is to negotiate constructively with the United States to establish new trade rules.
When asked if Trump's threat to Spain could pose a problem for trade negotiations between the EU and the United States, he stressed that they are two different areas of debate.
The Prime Minister once again expressed his satisfaction with the agreement reached at the NATO summit, which he insisted would allow Spain not to reach an expenditure of 5% of GDP after a difficult negotiation.
But he stressed that Spain is guaranteed to fulfill its duties to NATO because it is a supportive country committed to all allies.
"But also sovereign," he added in response to Trump's accusations before explaining that this is the balance achieved in the declaration approved at the NATO summit.
