Trump slams Spain with call to suspend all US trade at Nato summit

Trump Directs Treasury to End All US Trade with Spain at NATO Summit

Donald Trump instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a July 8 press conference in Ankara to terminate all economic relations with Spain, including trade and travel. Speaking alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the alliance summit, Trump stated he had not held bilateral talks with Spanish officials and described Spain as unwilling to meet alliance spending commitments.

“I spoke to Italy… I didn’t speak to Spain,” Trump said. “We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore, by the way. I’d like to cut it out.” He added instructions to “cut off all trade with Spain, please, including visits,” and predicted that Spanish officials would later seek renewed engagement. Trump also said Spain treated Rutte poorly and singled out the country for criticism over defense spending.

Rutte attempted to address the comments but received no visible response from Trump. The office of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez issued a statement describing the remarks as “business as usual” and noted Spain’s existing social, cultural, and economic links with the United States, adding that no changes to those ties were planned.

Trump returned to the subject later in the same session, saying he did not want further trade with Spain and calling the country’s position on alliance contributions unacceptable. He contrasted Spain with other members and stated that some allies were not contributing adequately.

Last year the 32 NATO members agreed to a target of spending 5 percent of GDP on alliance-related activities by 2035, with 3.5 percent allocated to defense and 1.5 percent to cyber security and infrastructure. Spain was the only member granted a formal exemption; Sanchez secured a cap of 2.1 percent of GDP, which the Spanish government described as sufficient. All other allies accepted the higher target.

Trump had raised similar objections in an Oval Office meeting with Rutte on June 24, criticizing several European governments for insufficient support on other issues and again highlighting Spain’s spending level. In that earlier session he stated that multiple allies were seeking a “free ride” on defense costs.

During the Ankara press conference Trump also addressed the status of a memorandum of understanding with Iran, saying the agreement was no longer operative and that he did not wish to continue engagement. He described Iranian leadership in negative terms. The United States has conducted additional military strikes on Iran and revoked an oil-sales license following attacks on three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump characterized the developments as ending prospects for further talks.

Trump praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and referenced his own social-media metrics. He also repeated earlier complaints about Denmark’s refusal to transfer control of Greenland, describing the territory as strategically important to the United States.

The exchange occurred on the second day of the NATO summit, which focused on alliance spending and regional security matters. Spain’s 2.1 percent cap remains the only formal deviation from the 5 percent framework adopted by the remaining 31 members.