Trump singles out Spain, threatens to 'cut off' trade as NATO pushes Europe to shoulder more defense costs

Donald Trump used NATO’s summit in Ankara on July 8 to threaten Spain with a trade cutoff, call the country “a terrible partner,” and revive his demand that Greenland should belong to the United States. Hours later, Trump said there had been “unification” at the meeting and praised the alliance’s cohesion, while NATO leaders closed the summit by reaffirming Article 5 and backing a larger European role in defense. The two-day meeting in Turkey ended with a formal declaration centered on defense investment, industrial production and support for Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on July 8 that European allies and Canada were “assuming greater responsibility for their security” and that the alliance was “rebalancing” security burdens, language that underscored the push for Europe to carry more of the load even as Washington remains central to deterrence. (abcnews.com) ### Why did Trump single out Spain? Trump targeted Spain during the summit as he complained about allied burden-sharing and linked Madrid’s behavior to broader grievances over U.S. policy. BBC and ABC reported that Trump said he wanted to stop trade with Spain and described the country as a “wasted cause” and “terrible partner in NATO.” (nato.int) Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez later said relations with the United States remained “very positive,” according to BBC’s report. The immediate limit on Trump’s threat is that trade policy for Spain is handled through the European Union, which would make any unilateral U.S.-Spain trade rupture legally and politically difficult, as the New York Times reported in a separate analysis cited in the source briefing. (yahoo.com) ### What did NATO actually decide in Ankara? NATO’s summit agenda was set around implementation, not a new headline target. The alliance said the Ankara meeting was meant to review progress since the 2025 Hague summit, where members committed to spend 5% of GDP on defense and related security needs by 2035. Mark Rutte said on July 6 that European allies and Canada were already investing “around 4%” of GDP in defense and security one year into that 10-year plan. (yahoo.com) NATO said those allies and Canada had increased core defense investments by more than $139 billion since the 2025 commitment, and Rutte said governments and industry announced more than 50 billion euros in new procurement deals in Ankara. (nato.int) The summit declaration also pledged 70 billion euros in military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine in 2026, with allies affirming equivalent support for 2027. ### What does “Europe taking more responsibility” mean in practice? Rutte said after the summit that European allies and Canada were taking on more responsibility through higher spending, new capabilities, expanded industrial production and infrastructure investment. (nato.int) NATO tied that shift to annual national plans for reaching the 5% target and to a 2029 review of the trajectory and balance of spending. (ncia.nato.int) CNBC reported before and after the summit that the question hanging over Ankara was whether Europe could turn bigger defense budgets into usable military power quickly enough as Trump pressed allies to shoulder more of the burden. That framing matched NATO’s own emphasis on delivery, procurement and industrial capacity rather than new declarations of principle. (nato.int) ### Why did Rutte’s praise of Trump become part of the story? CNBC reported on July 9 that Rutte repeatedly praised Trump during the summit, calling his pressure campaign on allied defense spending a “staggering” achievement and a “huge win” for NATO. Trump, in turn, publicly praised Rutte. Rutte also said at his closing press conference that allies had “warmly welcomed President Trump’s leadership” and that there was “a great sense of unity.” That language drew attention because it came after Trump had publicly threatened one ally and reopened a territorial demand involving another, Denmark, over Greenland. (cnbc.com 1) (cnbc.com 2) ### What comes next after Ankara? The next test is implementation. NATO says allies must submit annual plans showing a credible path to the 5% goal by 2035, and the alliance has scheduled a formal review in 2029. Ukraine funding, procurement contracts and infrastructure projects announced in Ankara will provide the first measurable markers. (nato.int) NATO said the alliance plans more than $40 billion over five years for counter-drone capabilities and a 27-billion-euro fuel infrastructure program, while support for Ukraine is meant to continue at at least 70 billion euros again in 2027. (nato.int) (nato.int)