Trump Orders Trade Cutoff With Spain During NATO Summit

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday at the NATO summit in Ankara that he has instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to halt all U.S. trade with Spain, calling the country a “terrible partner” within the alliance.

Trump Cites Defense Spending And Iran War Tensions

Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said Spain has repeatedly failed to meet expectations, pointing to its refusal to agree to NATO’s new defense spending target of 5% of GDP. He also referenced Spain’s Socialist-led government declining to allow U.S. forces access to its airspace or military bases during the recent Iran war.

Direct Instructions To Treasury Secretary

Turning to Bessent during the summit, Trump said he wanted no business with Spain and instructed him to act immediately without further discussion, calling Spanish leadership “hopeless” and accusing the country of profiting heavily from trade with the U.S. Bessent responded with a brief acknowledgment.

Spain Hosts Key U.S. Military Bases

Spain remains home to two significant American military installations, Naval Station Rota and Moron Air Base. The tension follows an internal Pentagon email reported in April that outlined potential punitive steps against NATO allies seen as insufficiently supportive during the Iran conflict, including a possible suspension of Spain from the alliance.