The next United States ambassador to Spain, Benjamín León Jr., already has a clear mandate:"to work to reverse" the Spanish government's "great mistake" in failing to bring defense spending to 5% of GDP. He himself emphasized this Thursday on Capitol Hill during his hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, during which a Republican member of the House harshly criticized our country. This demonstrates that the dynamics of recent weeks are not solely a matter for the president.

Donald Trump is a person characterized by his obsessions. In his speeches, talks, and especially in his daily appearances before the press—which can number up to two or three—he repeats the same things over and over again, many of them falsehoods: that he is the best president in history and the one who received the most votes; that no one has ever done more and better; that he won the 2020 election and it was stolen from him; that Latin American countries have emptied their prisons and mental hospitals in the United States; that there is a migrant invasion because of Joe Biden; or that tariffs will contribute hundreds of billions to the country's economy, making America Great Again. In the last two weeks, Spain and its decision not to reach 5% of GDP for defense have fallen into that category. Or almost.

Our country is not among the president's priorities, but it is in his rearview mirror. That's why he has addressed the issue of NATO five times in the last two weeks. Two of them were in response to questions from the Spanish media, but the other three were not. They came from him, without any prompting. The options he has put on the table, with greater or lesser credibility, are entirely his own, ranging from"perhaps we should expel" our country from NATO to possible tariff sanctions or a "well-deserved reprimand," not to mention criticism for "disloyalty," "not being a team player," or "being disrespectful to the Alliance."

Trump has been obsessed with this issue not for months, but for years. At his first NATO summit, days after the vote of no confidence that brought him to power, Pedro Sánchez suffered it firsthand when the American lashed out in the room at our country in particular, because it occupied, as it does now, the last or second-to-last position in defense spending, arguing with Luxembourg. Sánchez's position on the Hague Summit—in addition to the issues of Israel and Palestine and ties with China—has only reinforced his obsession.

The US president isn't going to let go of the bone. He's an erratic politician, and the US government and diplomatic corps seem to think that, since he comes up with something different every day, and as soon as he suggests an"expulsion" and says it's not his business "but NATO and Spain's," there's no need to worry too much. That it's best not to get involved, avoid confrontations, and let time pass while things are forgotten. Thinking that's going to happen is a mistake. As he said in Egypt a few days ago, he wants Europe, the allies, his team, his future ambassador—everyone—to"work" on Sánchez and make him see reason. And he won't stop.

If he's been proud of anything these past nine years, it's that he revolutionized NATO and forced everyone to spend more. In his recent memoirs, the former Secretary General of the Alliance explained how, at that aforementioned summit, he thought everything was going to explode, but the leaders managed to calm him down simply by offering a public declaration of praise, without any new, higher commitments. In 2018, they pledged to tell the entire planet that there would be more spending, hundreds of billions, and that it was all because of Trump. And that dazzled him because it gave him the narrative of a winner. Now Trump has been trying to say the same thing for months: boasting that everyone has accepted his orders to go to 5%, and there's only one member who spoils that narrative. A stain he won't tolerate.

It's also important to keep in mind that the Spanish issue isn't just the president's business, and that became abundantly clear this Thursday in Congress, during the hearing attended by Benjamín León Jr., who was appointed this summer as the next U.S. ambassador to our country.

Beyond the White House

Senator James Risch, head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized Spain for its stance on Israel and Palestine and its ties with Beijing. But he focused, above all, on the Sánchez administration's approach to defense, emphasizing that it is"the only country that has not committed to spending the 5%. This is a matter of particular importance, not only for the president, but for everyone here. I hope he speaks frankly with them and persuades them that if they want to be in NATO, they must behave like allies. That's why 31 other countries have said they will spend the 5%, which is crucial," he said, urging future ambassador León to apply pressure."This is a big problem, a big concern for Congress. I assume they are clear about how important NATO membership is to them, and I hope you emphasize that," he added.

The businessman, now turned diplomat, who will ask for the agrét after his official confirmation, admitted when taking the floor that it is a"challenge" and "worrying" and promised to get involved, although he did not seem to have a very clear idea of the sequence of what happened in NATO, since he said that Spain was now changing its mind regarding the 5% after having committed to that figure in a meeting in"France, I believe." " I will work diligently with the Spanish Government to make them understand that this is a big mistake," he affirmed, speaking of how for many decades both countries have had good relations and Spain has had army bases."I will work to reverse, reverse, that policy and ensure that the commitments they made with the 5% are fulfilled," León concluded.

In his address to the senators, the Cuban-born businessman stated that his priority as ambassador will be American citizens in our country and strengthening trade ties. But he immediately insisted that he will work to strengthen our defense alliance, including increasing Spanish defense spending and investments and continuing joint military exercises, strengthening our security ties. There are many important issues, and China may be the main one in the future. But in the short term, and in all his meetings, it is clear that his agenda will focus on the same thing: 5%.