Donald Trump made his debut as president this Monday with a mountain of executive orders. He signed the first ones cheered by the crowd in a stadium with about 15,000 people. The next ones were in the Oval Office of the White House, while he informally answered questions from journalists. One of those present asked him about the low defense spending of NATO countries like France and Spain, but Trump singled out Spain, saying that its spending is “very low” and raising the specter of “100% tariffs,” but framing to Spain among the BRICS, perhaps confused by the S of South Africa.
The new president has not imposed any of the tariffs he threatened on the first day, but continues to use trade policy as a dialectical and pressure weapon. During the campaign he said that “tariff” was the most beautiful word in the dictionary. This Monday he demoted it and put it below “God”, “religion” and “love”. For Trump, they remain one of his favorite arguments.
The answer about Spain was especially confusing. “[El gasto militar de] Spain is very low,” Trump answered to the question about countries that spend less than 5% on defense. But then he pointed out that Spain is a BRICS country, an acronym formed with the initials of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, emerging countries in whose group Spain is not included.
“Are they a BRICS nation? Well, they are a BRICS nation. Spain. Do you know what a BRICS nation is? You’ll realize it. But if the BRICS nations want to do that, fine, but we are going to put at least a 100% tariff on the business they do with the United States. Do you know what BRICS is? You know what I’m saying. So this is not even a threat. In fact, since I made that statement, Biden said ‘Well, they’ve got us up to our necks.’ And I said: ‘No, we have them up to their necks in water,’ was Trump’s very confusing phrase.
The journalist tried to tell him which BRICS countries were, but Trump did not seem to listen to him and continued with his disorganized response in which he implied that he knew what he was saying and made a grimace. It was not clear if it was a hint pointing out that Spain had no commitment to NATO due to its low defense spending or if it was directly a mistake by the president, due to the S in South Africa.
There was another question asking him to clarify why he had referred to a country in the European Union as BRICS, but it was also not clear if Trump had misunderstood it or what. He said that the BRICS are a group of “six or seven” countries that are trying to “play it against the United States.” “But if they do, they’re not going to be happy with it,” he added.
Mexico and Canada, in February
The president also set a new date for the 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada if they do not stop the entry of immigrants and drugs across the border. He indicated that he could impose them on February 1, in just 20 days. In his initial threat he said he would take that measure “on the first day.” To put a universal tariff on all countries, he said, the United States is not ready yet. “We could do it quickly because all countries take advantage of the United States”
During the questions, between the signing of the decree and the signing of the decree, he also referred to the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, as “governor”, as if the country were another state of the United States.
During his signing at the White House, Trump was also asked about Greenland. “Greenland is a wonderful place that we need for international security. And I am sure that Denmark will agree. I think it costs them a lot of money to maintain it, to preserve it. The people of Greenland are not happy with Denmark. I think they are happy with us. We had my son and representatives sent there two weeks ago, and they are just like us. So let’s see what happens. But Greenland is necessary, not for us. It is necessary for international security. There are Russian ships everywhere. You have Chinese ships everywhere, warships, and it cannot be maintained,” he answered.
