Spain has officially ruled out buying US-made F-35 fighter jets, opting for European alternatives, according to a statement from the defense ministry that confirmed a report by El Pais. This decision follows disputes between Madrid and Washington regarding Spain’s refusal to raise defense expenditure to 5% of GDP, as required by former US President Trump. Although the government allocated €6.25 billion for new jets in 2023 and considered up to 50 F-35s, updated plans will focus spending on European-made Eurofighters and FCAS project jets by Dassault Aviation and Airbus. While Sanchez affirmed intentions to meet NATO’s 2% target, he rejected Trump’s demand for 5%, prompting tariff threats from the US.
