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Trump confuses Spain with a member of the BRICS bloc and repeats the threat of massive tariffs

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump has apparently confused Spain with a member of the BRICS bloc of developing economies, causing some headaches and jitters over possible tariffs in Madrid.

Spain does not belong to the BRICS, whose initials stand for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Spain, together with the US, is a member of NATO and the European Union.

Trump incorrectly said Spain was in the BRICS when a journalist asked him about NATO countries like Spain, which do not meet the NATO minimum of spending 2% of economic output on defense. Spain ranked last in the 32-nation military alliance, spending an estimated 1.28% on defense last year.

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Trump began his answer by saying “Spain is very low,” referring to defense spending, but quickly switched to BRICS.

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“They are a BRICS country, Spain. Do you know what a BRICS country is? You’ll figure it out,” he told the reporter from the presidential desk in the Oval Office.

Trump reiterated his threat to impose costly tariffs on the BRICS, saying “we are going to at least impose a 100% tariff on the business they do with the United States,” as part of his economic plans that reflect decades of would destroy the free trade consensus.

Spanish Education Minister Pilar Alegría, who acts as a government spokeswoman, said she was unsure why Trump made the comment.

“I don’t know if President Trump’s statement was the result of a mix-up or not, but I can confirm that Spain is not in the BRICS countries,” Alegría told reporters on Tuesday.

Spain has been a committed member of NATO for the past four decades, she added, and the Spanish government considers the US “a natural ally.”

Spain is one of eight countries that failed to reach NATO’s 2% target last year. Trump has said he wants NATO members to spend 5% on defense.

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