Soccer-Spain's Sanchez to attend World Cup final alongside Trump amid tensions
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FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez shake hands as they pose for a photo, at a world leaders' summit on ending the Gaza war, amid a U.S.-brokered prisoner-hostage swap and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hama
MADRID, July 17 (Reuters) - Spain's Pedro Sanchez and U.S. President Donald Trump are set to meet again at Sunday's World Cup final, as strained relations between the two leaders over defence spending and the war with Iran continue to simmer.
Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, will be in New Jersey for the game, his office said on Friday, where Trump could end up handing the trophy to the Spanish team, who play Argentina.
Trump has repeatedly criticised Spain over the government's refusal to commit to NATO's target of spending 5% of GDP on defence, making numerous threats of trade reprisals.
The latest came earlier this month at the NATO summit in Ankara when Trump told his advisers to "cut off all trade with Spain, including visits."
The U.S. leader later softened his tone, saying Spain had honoured the request for payments and been "very generous", a statement which Sanchez's government understood as a reference to Madrid complying with its agreed defence spending target of 2% of GDP.
Sanchez, who also angered Trump's administration earlier this year by denying use of its military bases and airspace during the U.S. attack on Iran, at the time said Spain sought the best possible relations with its allies.
The two leaders held an informal, friendly conversation at the summit limited to topics including the World Cup, he said.
The Spanish leader has travelled frequently to the United States during his time in office, mostly for UN General Assembly meetings in New York. He visited Washington in 2023 for bilateral meetings with former U.S. President Joe Biden.
The Spanish royal family, including King Felipe, Queen Letizia and their daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia, have also confirmed they will attend the final.
(Reporting by Emma Pinedo and Victoria Waldersee; editing by Charlie Devereux and Toby Davis)
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