Trump links trade to Spain

President Donald Trump used a NATO summit appearance in Ankara on July 8 to revive a threat against Spain that went beyond alliance spending and into trade. Sitting beside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said the United States should stop doing business with Spain and described Madrid as a “terrible partner” and “a wasted cause.” Reuters reported that Trump also told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to “cut off all trade … including visits” with Spain. The threat came during a summit already marked by disputes over Iran, Greenland and defense spending. Reuters reported that Trump tied his remarks on Spain to its refusal to back the war in Iran and to what he said was Madrid’s failure to meet NATO commitments. Later in the day, he softened his tone toward the alliance as a whole and said there had been “a lot of unity.” (ttnews.com) ### What exactly did Trump say about Spain? July 8 remarks in Ankara were unusually direct even by Trump’s standards on allies. Transport Topics reported that Trump said, “We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore,” and called Spain “a terrible partner in NATO.” Reuters separately reported that he instructed Bessent to pursue a cutoff of trade and visits. (usnews.com) Spain was already a target earlier in the summit over defense spending. CNBC reported that Spain secured a carve-out as the only NATO member refusing to commit to the alliance’s higher spending target, and Trump said at the time that Madrid would face a “tough trade deal.” ### Why was Spain singled out at a NATO meeting? (ttnews.com) Trump linked Spain to two disputes that were running through the Ankara summit: Iran and burden-sharing. Transport Topics reported that he cited Spain’s lack of support for the war in Iran and what he described as its failure to meet NATO commitments. Reuters said the order to Bessent came “amid tensions over defense spending.” (cnbc.com) Spain’s defense record has been a recurring point of friction with Washington. CNBC, citing Stockholm International Peace Research Institute data, reported that Spain spent 2.1% of gross domestic product on defense in 2025, up from 1.4% in 2021, but still below many European countries. (ttnews.com) ### Can a U.S. president actually cut off trade with Spain alone? Reuters’ July 8 explainer said the main obstacle is that trade policy on the European side is handled by the European Union, not by individual member states. That means Washington cannot easily isolate Spain from the bloc’s common trade framework in the way Trump’s rhetoric suggested. Reuters also reported that any U.S. move would need to be built through authorities involving the Treasury, Commerce Department and the Office of the U.S. (cnbc.com) Trade Representative. The same Reuters explainer said Trump has broad powers to impose tariffs or other restrictions under some U.S. trade laws, but a full embargo on one EU member would face legal and institutional complications. The report framed the issue as a question of implementation rather than a simple presidential order taking immediate effect. (usnews.com) ### What did this do to the summit itself? Reuters reported that Trump’s demand to cut trade ties with Spain helped throw the NATO meeting into disarray before he later shifted tone and praised allied unity. The New York Times live coverage also described a summit in which Trump lashed out at allies before ending on a more conciliatory note. (usnews.com) Ankara remained the center of the next step on July 8 and July 9 because the policy process moved back to Washington after the summit remarks. Reuters reported that Treasury, Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative’s office were expected to present Trump with options, while Spain and other EU governments watched for whether the threat would become a formal trade action. (usnews.com) (srnnews.com)