US Democrats attend progressive conference in Barcelona, criticize Trump administration
Democratic officials including Tim Walz and Chris Murphy spoke at a global progressive rally in Spain, criticizing Trump's foreign policy approach.
Progressive leaders from around the world gathered in Barcelona on Saturday for the inaugural Global Progressive Mobilization conference, with several prominent U.S. Democrats participating alongside international officials.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz delivered sharp criticism of President Trump's foreign policy approach, particularly regarding Iran. Walz called Trump "feeble-minded" and "trigger-happy" while expressing concerns about the administration's military strategy. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut also spoke at the event, criticizing Trump's policies and praising recent electoral developments in Hungary.
The conference was hosted by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has been a vocal critic of Trump's foreign policy positions. Other attendees included Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, along with officials from the UK and Germany.
Tensions between Trump and Spain have escalated in recent months over military cooperation and defense spending. Trump criticized Spain on social media Saturday, posting about the country's financial situation and military contributions to NATO. Spain has refused to allow the U.S. to use jointly operated military bases for Iran-related operations and has declined to increase military spending from 2% to 5% of GDP as requested by the Trump administration.
The conference featured discussions on various progressive policy proposals, including South Africa's plan to present a resolution for an International Panel on Inequality to the U.N. General Assembly. Mexican President Sheinbaum proposed that governments commit 10% of their military budgets to reforestation projects, while Spain advocated for increased regulation of social media to combat hate speech and disinformation.
The event drew approximately 6,000 left-leaning elected officials, policy analysts, and activists who exchanged ideas on defending democratic institutions and promoting progressive policies globally.