Trump threatens trade cutoff with Spain over refusal to support Iran war

2026-03-11 - 20:43

President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Spain on Wednesday, threatening to sever trade ties with the NATO ally over its refusal to support the US-Israeli war against Iran. Speaking to reporters, Trump declared "I think they're not cooperating at all. Spain. I think they've been very bad, very bad, not good at all. We may cut off trade with Spain." Base access dispute triggers White House ire The threat stems from Madrid's decision to block American use of jointly operated military bases on Spanish territory for operations against Iranian targets. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's leftist government has condemned the military campaign as "reckless and illegal," refusing to facilitate strikes it views as violating international law. Trump's remarks suggest Washington views the base access denial as a fundamental breach of alliance obligations. NATO spending grievances resurface Trump also raised long-standing complaints about Spanish defense contributions, stating Madrid has been "very bad to NATO" and does not want to "pay their fair share." The president referenced NATO's new defense spending target of 5 percent of GDP, which Spain has consistently failed to meet. The combination of base access denial and spending shortfalls appears to have triggered Trump's threat of economic retaliation. Madrid downplays tensions Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares responded Tuesday by stating that relations with Washington remain "operating normally," and that both countries' embassies continue to maintain regular diplomatic contacts. The measured response suggests Madrid hopes to de-escalate the confrontation, though Trump's public threat indicates the White House may be prepared to follow through on trade measures unless Spain reverses its position on base access or makes significant concessions on defense spending.