Spain is opting to replace its ageing fleet with European military aircraft rather than the US F-35 fighter jet, as tensions over defence and foreign policy strain Madrid’s relations with Washington.
Madrid’s decision to shun Lockheed Martin’s F-35s is the latest sign of a rift with the US over defence, after Donald Trump branded as “terrible” Spain’s refusal to boost military expenditure to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035 earlier this year.