Trump Says Spain Has to Pay as NATO Seeks Deal on Spending

NATO allies are pressing Spain to sign on to a stepped-up defense spending target and end a holdout that US President Donald Trump portrayed as unacceptable.

Ahead of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit starting Tuesday that Trump is scheduled to attend, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is the only leader who’s outright opposed to the proposal to raise outlays to 5% of gross domestic product.

“NATO’s going to have to deal with Spain,” Trump told reporters during a trip to his New Jersey golf club on Friday. “Spain’s been a very low payer. I think Spain has to pay what everybody else has to pay.”

https://www.livemint.com/politics/news/trump-says-spain-has-to-pay-as-nato-seeks-deal-on-spending-11750491023291.html

Haiti’s transitional government’s possible deal with Blackwater sparks public hope and fear

PORT-AU-PRINCE — As reports circulate about a possible contract between Haiti’s transitional government and American private military firm Blackwater, led by former Navy SEAL Erik Prince, residents are expressing a mixture of feelings. Many Haitians just want restored order, no matter who provides it.

“Even if they went to get the devil himself, as long as he brings security, I have no problem,” said a three-wheeled motorcycle-taxi driver on Delmas Road. He and a passenger behind him, who both chose to remain anonymous due to privacy concerns, reacted to the news on the morning of May 29 as they shared a ride on the road.

The government has not confirmed the rumored agreement, first reported by The New York Times, and officials remain tight-lipped. Yet, public debate is intensifying. Some residents say they welcome any effort to restore peace, even from controversial foreign contractors like Blackwater. Others, however, urge caution and transparency, citing the company’s dark history in countries like Iraq and calling for reinforcement of national forces.

Artisan Stanley Raphael, whose business in Pétion-Ville has suffered due to insecurity, said, “I do not reject the decision made by the authorities. If the mercenaries truly bring a solution, I am not against it.”

https://haitiantimes.com/2025/06/21/haiti-deal-with-blackwater-stirs-hope-fear/