Par Malek Fouda
Published on: May 1, 2026 – 9:27 UTC+2 Updated at 17:20
Context:
President Donald Trump of the United States has stated that he is considering withdrawing troops from Spain and Italy due to their opposition to the American-Israeli war in Iran.
Fact Check:
- Trump’s comments come as the conflict with Iran enters its third month.
- He also recently proposed a similar reduction of troops in Germany.
- The number of active American soldiers in Germany, Italy, and Spain as of December 31, 2025, was specified.
President Trump remarked that the war in Iran is beneficial to the whole world, criticizing other NATO allies for not joining efforts to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat. He specifically called out Italy and Spain for lack of support.
- Italy and Spain were singled out for being unhelpful and “horrible.”
- Trump criticized NATO’s inability to contribute to the Israeli-American operation against Iran.
President Trump’s disputes with Spain and Italy are longstanding, stemming from various issues including their positions on Israel, defense spending, and lack of support for the war in Iran. He had previously asked all NATO members to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.
- Trump had praised all NATO members, except Spain, for agreeing to increase defense spending, which Spain refused.
- The US administration has threatened to cut commercial ties with Spain and even discussed suspending it from NATO.
The United States is considering suspending Spain from NATO due to its refusal to support the war in Iran, which has caused turmoil in the region and spiked global oil prices. Brent crude prices have risen significantly in response to the escalating conflict.
Source: AFP
