Trump threatens to 'cut off trade' with Spain after it disallowed use of joint bases in Iran war
Trump: Spain has been terrible. In fact, I told Scott to cut off all dealings with Spain. Spain actually said that we can't use their bases. And that's all right. We could use their base if we want. We could just fly in and use it. Nobody's going to tell us not to use it. pic.twitter.com/XugXBGiypW
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 3, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Tuesday, February 4, threatened to end all trade with Spain over its refusal to allow the use of military bases in support of US operations linked to the Iran and its resistance to meet his demands for higher NATO defense spending.
The remarks came during a White House meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and reflect growing tensions between the United States and a key European ally amid broader international military actions in the Middle East.
Donald Trump met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office on March 3, 2026 (Win McNamee/Getty Images) Trump’s trade threat and the Spain dispute
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, “We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain,” and added, “We don’t want anything to do with Spain,” after Spanish officials declined to grant US forces use of jointly operated military bases in southern Spain for strikes not sanctioned by the United Nations’ charter.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares had said that his country would not allow the US to use those bases in any operations not covered by the UN charter, and noted that Spain’s jointly operated bases were not used in a recent weekend attack on Iran.
Trump responded by asserting, “We could use their base if we want. Nobody’s going to tell us not to use it, but we don’t have to.”
The president’s threat of cutting off trade with Spain occurred against a backdrop of disagreement not only over military access but also over defense spending within NATO.
Trump said, "Spain, first of all, it started when every European nation, at my request, paid 5%, which they should be doing. And everybody was enthusiastic about it, Germany, everybody. And Spain didn't do it."
Spanish officials have emphasized that any review of the trade relationship must respect “the autonomy of private companies, international law, and bilateral agreements” between the European Union, which oversees trade negotiations for Spain, and the US.
Trump's tariffs threat and Spain's reactions
The EU said it expects the US to uphold existing trade agreements negotiated with the bloc, stressing that the interests of the union will be protected.
Trump’s comments came shortly after a US Supreme Court decision struck down the president’s global tariffs, but Trump maintained that the ruling allows him to impose full-scale embargoes on other nations.
During the Oval Office meeting, Trump also raised the issue of the US trade relationship with Spain with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who agreed "that the Supreme Court reaffirmed your ability to implement an embargo.” Bessent also said the US Trade Representative and Commerce Department "would begin investigations and we’ll move forward with those.”
Spain’s government defended its actions, emphasizing that it is a key NATO member fulfilling its commitments and contributing significantly to European defense. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s office noted that any US review of trade agreements must respect international law and existing bilateral agreements between the EU and the US.
Sanchez has been critical of US and Israeli attacks on Iran, calling the intervention “unjustifiable” and “dangerous,” and has urged de-escalation and dialogue. Trump, for his part, said Spain “has absolutely nothing that we need other than great people. They have great people, but they don’t have great leadership.”
