U.S. president Donald Trump has apparently confused Spain for a member of the BRICS bloc of developing economies, causing some head-scratching and jitters over possible tariffs in Madrid.

NEW US President Donald Trump asked if NATO ally Spain was a BRICS nation when quizzed on the country’s low defence spending. The gaff was embarrassing

After US President Donald Trump confused Spain with a member of the BRICS bloc, a spokesperson for the Spanish government responded, saying she was unsure why Trump made the comment. Trump erroneously said Spain was in BRICS when a journalist asked him on Monday about NATO countries like Spain which don't meet the NATO minimum of spending 2 percent of economic output on defense.

Spain has a meagre contribution to NATO and as a consequence, it could face 100% tariffs from the US, according to President Donald Trump, who unfortunately confused it with a BRICS country. NATO chief says Europe must replace US in Ukraine aid

While signing executive orders in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump was asked by a reporter what “can you expect” from countries in NATO that “spend the least amount,” including France and Spain.

After being sworn in as the 47th US President, Donald Trump met reporters in the Oval Office while signing executive orders where he made this erroneous claim.