Trump Refers to Spain as 'a BRICS country'
US President Trump has incorrectly referred to Spain, an EU country, as a member of the BRICS economic bloc, which consists of developing nations. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
**US President Incorrectly Labels Spain as BRICS Member**
During a press briefing at the White House on Monday, US President Donald Trump mistakenly referred to Spain as part of the BRICS economic bloc shortly after his inauguration.
This blunder arose during a discussion on his persistent call for NATO allies to increase their defense spending from the current target of 2% of GDP to 5%. A reporter specifically addressed this issue, pointing out NATO members that allocate less than 2% for defense, mentioning Spain by name.
“What can we expect from the NATO countries that spend the least, like Spain, below 5%?” the reporter asked.
Trump responded, “Spain is very low. Are they a BRICS nation?”
The reporter seemed taken aback, replying, “what?” to which Trump reinforced, “They’re a BRICS nation, Spain. You know what a BRICS nation is? You’ll figure it out.” He concluded his remarks with, “We are going to put at least 100% tariff on the business [that BRICS countries] do with the United States.”
Spain is part of both the European Union and NATO, the US-led military alliance. The BRICS bloc originally consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In January 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates were added, with Indonesia becoming a full member earlier this month.
Concerns over the feasibility of reaching the 5% spending target have been expressed by several EU countries, including Germany and Italy, citing economic challenges.
Currently, Spain's defense spending is at 1.28% of its GDP, marking the lowest figure among NATO allies. The Spanish government has set a goal to achieve the 2% target by 2029.
Previously, Trump indicated the possibility of the US reassessing its NATO commitments if allies did not contribute more.
Recently, BRICS nations have been focusing on diminishing their reliance on the US dollar for international trade, particularly in light of Western sanctions imposed on Russia after the intensification of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Trump had threatened a 100% tariff on BRICS countries that move away from the dollar as their reserve currency.
In October, Moscow clarified that the BRICS nations do not aim to target the dollar or any other currency; instead, they are focusing on enhancing their economic cooperation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cautioned that using economic pressure to compel reliance on the dollar could backfire, potentially speeding up the transition to national currencies in global trade.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
During a press briefing at the White House on Monday, US President Donald Trump mistakenly referred to Spain as part of the BRICS economic bloc shortly after his inauguration.
This blunder arose during a discussion on his persistent call for NATO allies to increase their defense spending from the current target of 2% of GDP to 5%. A reporter specifically addressed this issue, pointing out NATO members that allocate less than 2% for defense, mentioning Spain by name.
“What can we expect from the NATO countries that spend the least, like Spain, below 5%?” the reporter asked.
Trump responded, “Spain is very low. Are they a BRICS nation?”
The reporter seemed taken aback, replying, “what?” to which Trump reinforced, “They’re a BRICS nation, Spain. You know what a BRICS nation is? You’ll figure it out.” He concluded his remarks with, “We are going to put at least 100% tariff on the business [that BRICS countries] do with the United States.”
Spain is part of both the European Union and NATO, the US-led military alliance. The BRICS bloc originally consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In January 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates were added, with Indonesia becoming a full member earlier this month.
Concerns over the feasibility of reaching the 5% spending target have been expressed by several EU countries, including Germany and Italy, citing economic challenges.
Currently, Spain's defense spending is at 1.28% of its GDP, marking the lowest figure among NATO allies. The Spanish government has set a goal to achieve the 2% target by 2029.
Previously, Trump indicated the possibility of the US reassessing its NATO commitments if allies did not contribute more.
Recently, BRICS nations have been focusing on diminishing their reliance on the US dollar for international trade, particularly in light of Western sanctions imposed on Russia after the intensification of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Trump had threatened a 100% tariff on BRICS countries that move away from the dollar as their reserve currency.
In October, Moscow clarified that the BRICS nations do not aim to target the dollar or any other currency; instead, they are focusing on enhancing their economic cooperation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cautioned that using economic pressure to compel reliance on the dollar could backfire, potentially speeding up the transition to national currencies in global trade.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
