Trump Cuts Off All Trade With Spain, Calls Madrid A 'Terrible Partner'
Trump Cuts Off All Trade With Spain, Calls Madrid A 'Terrible Partner' Published By, Last Updated: July 08, 2026, 14:49 IST Responding to Trump’s order
Trump Cuts Off All Trade With Spain, Calls Madrid A 'Terrible Partner' Published By, Last Updated: July 08, 2026, 14:49 IST Responding to Trump’s order to cut all trade with Spain, the Spanish Prime Minister’s office said that Madrid sees these threats as “business as usual”. United States President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. (Source: Reuters) United States President Donald Trump, while speaking at the NATO summit on Wednesday, said that he has asked his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut off all trade ties with Spain and called Madrid a “terrible partner" in the alliance. Trump, who was addressing reporters alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the beginning of the summit in Ankara, said he did not want to indulge in any business with Spain. “Spain doesn’t agree to anything, and you shouldn’t carry them," Trump said to Rutte. “I don’t want to do any trade with them, alright?" he said, turning to Bessent, who replied, “Yes, sir." “Take it immediately.
Don’t even talk to them. They’re hopeless. They’re bad people. They make so much money with us, and we’re going to see that they make a lot less. I want no business with them," the US president said. Spain Downplays Trump’s Trade Threat Responding to Trump’s order to cut all trade with Spain, the Spanish Prime Minister’s office said that Madrid sees these threats as “business as usual". Also Read: ‘I Was Disappointed’: Trump Tells NATO Chief He Was ‘Let Down’ By Allies Over Iran War Support “Our country enjoys excellent social, cultural, and economic relations with the US, and it is not our intention for that to change," said the prime minister’s office in an official statement. “We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore. Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don’t participate, they don’t pay," it added. Why Trump Is At Odds With Spain Trump has multiple times expressed his disappointment with Spain, which had declined to endorse NATO’s new target of spending 5% of GDP on defence, while its Socialist government also barred the United States from using Spanish airspace and military bases for operations during the Iran conflict.
The U.S. maintains two major military installations in Spain, Naval Station Rota and Morón Air Base, both of which play a strategic role in American operations in Europe and the Mediterranean. Also Read: ‘Cut Off All Dealings With Spain’: Trump Calls Madrid Terrible For Not Backing US War On Iran In March, Spain said that US forces would not be permitted to use the jointly operated bases on its territory for missions related to Iran and also denied access to its airspace for American aircraft involved in the conflict. The dispute deepened further in April, when a US official told Reuters that an internal Pentagon email had outlined possible measures against NATO allies viewed as having failed to support Washington’s military campaign against Iran. Among the options discussed was suspending Spain from the alliance. With inputs from Reuters News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Prisha Vibhavari Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news.
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