U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to end trade with Spain, citing the country’s refusal to support U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and its resistance to increasing defense spending under NATO commitments.
“We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain,” Trump told reporters during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”
The remarks followed comments by Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, who said Spain would not allow the United States to use jointly operated military bases in southern Spain for any strikes not covered by the United Nations charter. He added that the bases were not used during the recent attacks on Iran.
Trump responded that the U.S. could still use Spanish bases if it chose to do so, but insisted it did not need them. His comments raised questions about how such a trade cutoff could be enforced, since Spain is part of the European Union, which negotiates trade agreements on behalf of all 27 member states.
A spokesperson for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said any review of trade arrangements must respect international law and existing agreements between the EU and the United States. The EU also said it expects Washington to honor the trade deal reached with the bloc last year.
“The Commission will always ensure that the interests of the European Union are fully protected,” said European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill.
Trump’s threat comes despite a recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down his earlier global tariff measures. While the court said the president cannot impose sweeping tariffs under emergency powers, Trump now argues the ruling allows him to pursue full-scale trade embargoes against selected countries.
The U.S. president also renewed criticism of Spain for not meeting NATO’s proposed 5 percent defense spending target. Spain has said it can meet its military obligations by spending about 2.1 percent of GDP, a position Trump said was unacceptable. Merz acknowledged the issue, saying Germany is trying to persuade Spain that higher spending is part of shared security commitments within NATO.
Spain defended its stance, calling itself a key NATO member that fulfills its obligations and contributes significantly to European defense.
During the Oval Office meeting, Trump asked U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about his authority to impose an embargo. Bessent said the Supreme Court had reaffirmed that power and confirmed that the U.S. Trade Representative and Commerce Department would begin investigations.
Sanchez has been openly critical of the U.S. and Israeli military action against Iran, calling it unjustifiable and dangerous, while urging de-escalation and dialogue. His government has also condemned Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the region.
Trump concluded by criticizing Spain’s leadership, saying the country has “great people” but lacks strong political direction. The dispute marks the latest strain in relations between Madrid and Washington, following Spain’s outspoken opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza and its refusal to back expanded U.S. military operations from its territory.
