'Let's prove them wrong': Spanish economy minister responds to US criticism

Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo has called on the European Union to stay united in the face of severe criticism from the Trump administration, which has recently warned that Europe's supposedly "weak" leadership and poor economic policies could lead to the demise.

Cuerpo, who oversees one of the fastest-growing economies in the eurozone, said it is time for the EU to take the initiative instead of reacting to events, calling for closer integration among member states and a renewed push to complete the euro's architecture.

"This is very personal, but the reaction this instils in me is to say: let's prove them wrong," he said on Euronews' interview series, 12 Minutes With. "We should switch from reacting to external events to action. There is urgency, and there is momentum for it."

Last week, the US released an updated National Security Strategy in which it argued that while Europe remains an ally, the continent must reverse course on some of its landmark policies or risk "civilisational erasure".

The document lambasted green policies, digital regulation, and what it described as an intolerable influx of illegal migrants. President Donald Trump personally echoed those concerns in an interview, saying Europe "is changing too much" and describing its top leadership as "weak".

US ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder echoed those remarks in an interview with Euronews, arguing that "Europe must not lose its identity".

The campaign went global after Elon Musk, the world's richest man and owner of X, called on the EU to be abolished after his social media platform was fined by the European Commission for breaching digital market rules. The billionaire, with a social media following of more than 229 million, claimed the bloc is no longer a democracy and that it is run by "commissars".

Standing up for Europe

Cuerpo, who was appointed minister in 2023, pushed back, insisting that the Spanish experience demonstrated the benefits of being an EU member.

Madrid joined the EU in 1986 and underwent a period of fast economic development to become the fourth-largest economy in the eurozone.

"As Europeans, we're very much aware of the importance of unity within the EU and how much the European Union protects us," he told Euronews.

"From the Spanish perspective, there is no case whatsoever, no other scenario other than marching ahead with integration and further integration within the EU."

The Spanish economy experienced a period of strong economic growth this year. The government expects the economy to accelerate 2.9% this year, outperforming Germany, Italy and France combined.

Still, the conservative opposition in Madrid has attacked the government for its chronic inability to approve a budget, a problem now in its third year that it says shows the weakness of the executive.

Critics say the lack of an annual budget also flies in the face of democratic checks and balances, something the government denies.