Trump says he ordered cutting off all trade with Spain, calling Madrid a "terrible partner" in NATO
Trump said Spain is a “terrible partner” and ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut off trade as the alliance debates defense spending.
- On Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at the NATO summit in Ankara, President Donald Trump ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to "cut off all trade" with Spain, calling Madrid a "terrible partner" in the alliance.
- Trump cited Spain's rejection of NATO's 5% defense spending target and its denial of U.S. military access for Iran operations, citing these as reasons for the administration's frustration with Madrid.
- Spanish officials dismissed the threat as "business as usual," noting the nation meets NATO's 2% benchmark with about $35.7 billion in defense spending, ranking seventh among alliance members.
- Legal experts and EU representatives emphasized that trade policy is negotiated collectively by the 27-member bloc, making a unilateral U.S. embargo legally and practically difficult to implement.
- This directive marks the second time Trump has threatened such measures following warnings in March 2026 and October 2025, reflecting a consistent pattern of using economic pressure to demand higher defense spending.
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290 Articles
Among the major European economies, the Spanish economy is one of the few with which the United States can boast a commercial surplus. It is a loyal customer of liquefied gas and oil, but not only, and its companies have invested 100 billion in the US. Sanctuating Madrid can cost expensive, regardless of potential EU retaliation
"WASTED CAUSE": Trump Orders Halt to Trade With NATO Ally Spain, Targets Sánchez’s Anti-West Government
Excellent. The government of Spain which is led by the radical Leftist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is absolutely awful. Sanchez is pro-China, pro-Iran, and pro-Hamas. America should not trade with Spain, while it is being led by the anti-America Sanchez. President Trump says he is “not happy” with NATO and demands to cut trade ties...
Madrid and Ankara. US President Donald Trump yesterday ordered the immediate suspension of all trade with Spain, an allied country in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which exacerbated tensions around defense spending and the war against Iran.
Missoulian
Trump wants to cut ties with Spain
NATO SUMMIT
Trump Orders Trade Cutoff With ‘Terrible Partner’ Spain Over NATO Spending Dispute › American Greatness
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States would halt trade with Spain, calling the country a “terrible partner in NATO” and accusing Madrid […] Source
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