Five key moments in Trump's relationship with Sánchez

BarcelonaThe president of the United States and the president of the Spanish government have coincided in their respective positions for three years and one month, but the archives only contain a bilateral photograph of both presidents at the UN General Assembly in 2018. The first stage of this tortuous relationship begins in June of the same year, when Sánchez wins the 2021 motion, when Trump leaves the White House –with The controversial attack on the Capitol as the culmination of the legislative session–. The second begins this year, with more experience on both sides of the Atlantic, and also growing tension between the two administrations.

The five seconds of 2018

The first meeting between Trump and Sánchez took place on Wednesday, July 11, 2018, just a month and a half after the Socialist leader had taken office. The two presidents greeted each other at the NATO summit held in Brussels, where the famous increase in military spending had already been discussed. Pressure was being exerted at the time to increase it to the promised 2%, and Sánchez expressed understanding for Trump's demands and called for a gradual increase, which has yet to be achieved.

Trump barely glanced at the new Spanish prime minister, and the greeting lasted only five seconds, according to media outlets present. A handshake before sitting down at the table. No bilateral meeting. A scene that Biden's arrival at the White House hoped to avoid. The advisors then prepared the famous walk between the two presidents of just over 30 seconds. There was no bilateral meeting either.

Trump orders Pedro Sánchez to sit down

A year later, both leaders met at the G-20 summit in Osaka, where an indiscreet gesture by the American president It raised a storm. Spain was participating in the group's meetings as a guest, and Trump spent only a few seconds greeting the Spanish leader, indicating with his finger that he should sit down. Sánchez laughed and, indeed, sat down in the chair. Moncloa downplayed the scene, and the protocol team claimed it had been a joke.

Sánchez criticizes the Capitol scene and welcomes Biden

Sánchez did not make an official visit to Washington during the two and a half years Trump was in office, between 2018 and 2021. Mariano Rajoy did, in the run-up to the October 1 referendum, and the Spanish monarchs did in 2018, who also scheduled a second visit, which was canceled due to disagreements with Trump and criticism of his supporters' assault on the Capitol. received it two years ago in what is, so far, Sánchez's only visit to the Oval Office.

Trump reelected, Sánchez "against the techno-caste"

Trump's reelection has positioned Sánchez as an antagonist of the MAGA movement. Just hours before the reelected president's inauguration, Sánchez warned of the "techno-caste" at the Davos Forum. which accompanies the international far right, which he accused of "using its absolute power over social media to control public debate and government action, no less, than the entire West." Hours later, Sánchez congratulated the re-elected president on social media, but his tone has remained cold during the first six months of the Trump administration.

Is Spain a BRICS country?

The first hours of Trump's return to Washington were marked by a long queue of executive orders to be signed. During the signings—including the start of the new tariff war—a reporter asked the president about defense spending of less than 5% of the allies' GDP, and Trump's response was confusing: "Spain is well below [this threshold]. And yet, it's a BRICS nation [...]. 100% tariff on all business they do with the United States." The scandal reached the Spanish government's press room, where the spokesperson responded humorously, pointing out that Spain is not part of this alliance of emerging economies.

Trump's attacks, which began in January, have only increased in recent months. The latest scene is familiar: the targeting of Sánchez for his refusal to accept the 5% and Trump's threat in the press room at The Hague"We'll make them pay double." Not only was there no bilateral meeting last week, but the two presidents also didn't exchange the usual greetings during the family photo.