Trump warns he could impose trade cuts on Spain after slamming NATO allies in Ankara

President Donald Trump used the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8 to turn an alliance dispute into a trade threat, singling out Spain and saying the United States should stop doing business with it. At a news conference with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump said Spain was a “terrible partner” and called for “all trade” with the country to be cut off. Reuters and other outlets reported that the threat came after Trump attacked allies over defense spending and support tied to the Iran war. Politico reported on July 8 that U.S. officials were already compiling a “menu” of Spanish goods as Trump weighed either an embargo or steep tariff increases. That report suggested the administration was moving beyond an off-the-cuff threat and asking aides to identify products that could be targeted if Trump decided to act. ### What exactly did Trump say about Spain? Trump said in Ankara that Spain was a “terrible partner in NATO” and added, “Cut off all trade with Spain, please, including visits,” according to CNBC’s account of the remarks. (usnews.com) Other coverage from Reuters, ABC and UPI described the same exchange as part of a broader tirade against allies Trump said were not paying enough or backing U.S. policy. (politico.com) Spain has been a recurring target for Trump in disputes over NATO burden-sharing. Politico and Time both reported that Trump had floated similar trade threats earlier in 2026 as tensions with Madrid widened over defense policy and U.S. military operations. ### Why was Spain the country he singled out? Spain was the NATO member Trump most directly blamed for falling short on defense commitments at the Ankara summit, according to BBC and other reports. (cnbc.com) Politico Europe said Madrid had been the only ally refusing to endorse NATO’s 2035 target of spending 5% of gross domestic product on defense, a position that had already angered Washington before this week’s summit. (politico.com) Time also reported that Spain had denied U.S. forces access to joint military bases for offensive operations against Iran and had closed its airspace to American aircraft involved in the conflict. Trump linked his complaints about Spain to both NATO spending and the Iran war in remarks reported by Reuters and ABC. ### Could a U.S. move really target Spain alone? (politico.eu) The European Commission says trade outside the European Union is an exclusive EU responsibility, not a matter handled separately by national governments. The Council of the European Union says the same: trade policy is an exclusive EU competence, with Brussels negotiating and legislating on behalf of member states. (time.com) The New York Times reported that any U.S. move aimed specifically at Spain would run into legal, political and practical obstacles and could trigger a wider trade fight with the European Union. Politico Europe said the same basic problem applies to Trump’s threat: Spain is inside the EU’s common trade system, making a country-specific cutoff harder to execute than the rhetoric suggests. (policy.trade.ec.europa.eu) ### What would officials actually be looking at now? Politico’s July 8 report said administration officials were drawing up a list of Spanish goods as options for Trump. That points first to product-by-product measures — tariffs, restrictions or licensing actions — rather than an immediate literal end to all commerce. The next concrete steps, if the White House chooses to proceed, would likely involve the U.S. (nytimes.com) Trade Representative, the Treasury Department and consultations with European Union officials in Brussels. The European Commission’s trade pages identify the EU as the bloc’s negotiating authority, which means any formal response on trade would come through Brussels rather than Madrid alone. (policy.trade.ec.europa.eu) (politico.com)