Trump hits Spain over NATO role, says Cuba 'coming our way'

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday lambasted Spain's contribution to NATO and declared that Cuba was "coming our way" after decades of separation. The remarks wove together contemporary alliance politics with historical territorial grievances dating to the Spanish-American War.

NATO membership criticized

Speaking at the White House, Trump said Spain was failing to meet its obligations as a military ally despite its formal membership in the North Atlantic alliance. "Ah, the Spanish. They're members of NATO, but not very good members of NATO," he said, adding that Madrid had rejected calls to assist other member states. "They say, 'No, we don't want to help other people.' What are we doing? They are not behaving nicely."

Cuba and territorial claims

Trump connected his contemporary criticism to historical events, suggesting Spain would "learn soon" after relinquishing control over former territories. "They will learn soon after they relinquish their grip on Cuba and Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico, and they were all ours. We got them all," he stated. "And speaking of Cuba, after many, many decades, it's coming our way," he added, without elaborating on specific policy measures.

Historical military legacy

The president invoked the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders' famous charge up San Juan Heights during the 1898 Spanish-American War — a conflict that resulted in Spain ceding Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to Washington. "The Rough Riders victory at San Juan Heights led directly to the collapse of the Spanish line," Trump noted, referring to the battle that precipitated Spain's surrender within two weeks. The remarks marked a rare instance of a US leader citing 19th-century military campaigns to justify current diplomatic positions.