Trump cut trade with Spain as NATO tensions flare

Trump cut trade with Spain amid NATO showdown

President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that the United States would cut all trade with Spain, a move that intensified a bitter dispute at the NATO summit in Ankara.

Speaking to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trump called Spain “a wasted cause” and ordered an immediate halt to commercial exchanges, even barring official visits.

“We don’t need to do business with them,” he told reporters, adding that Madrid had become “a terrible partner in NATO.”

“Trump calls Spain a terrible partner because it refuses blackmail and threats,” Spanish Health Minister Mónica García said.

The president’s grievance centers on Spain’s refusal to pledge ↓ 2% of GDP to defense by 2035, a target embraced by most allies at last year’s summit.

Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, rebuked the threat, accusing Washington of dragging Europe into an endless Iran conflict that has already cost billions.

In response, NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte tried to soothe tensions, noting that Spain had recently reached the 2% benchmark, though Trump remained unconvinced.

European officials warned that any unilateral trade ban would breach the Reuters-documented agreements signed in July, while the EU’s deputy spokesperson reminded the U.S. of its own treaty obligations.

Analysts note that the episode follows a series of confrontations, from Trump’s earlier flirtation with annexing Greenland to recent disputes over joint bases, all of which have strained transatlantic ties since the pandemic.

Words by: Eleanor Cross

Chief Washington Correspondent