President Donald J. Trump criticized Spain’s NATO contributions and called for an end to all U.S. trade and official visits with the country during the NATO summit in Turkey.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump, during a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, called for an end to all U.S. trade with Spain, citing the country’s refusal to meet NATO defense spending targets and its treatment of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Trump also called for a halt to official visits to Spain, labeling the Socialist Party-led country a “terrible partner” and a “wasted cause.” 📺 DETAIL: Trump criticized Spain for refusing to commit to the alliance’s new target of spending five percent of GDP on defense, saying the U.S. should stop doing business with the country and directing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to pursue the move. Trump also referenced Spain’s previous refusal to allow U.S. access to its military bases and airspace during the conflict with Iran as a source of ongoing frustration. Spain’s government rejected Trump’s criticism, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez‘s office describing the U.S.-Spain trade relationship as “excellent.” Sanchez attended the summit alongside Trump and Rutte, although it was unclear whether the two leaders discussed the dispute directly. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the United States and Spain exchanged approximately $75 billion in goods and services during 2025, with the U.S. recording a trade surplus of about $4 billion. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don’t participate; they don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain.” – Donald Trump 🎯 IMPACT: EU trade policies, which require member nations to conduct international trade policies collectively, may limit the feasibility of Trump’s proposal without a wider trade war. Notably, the Spanish government is currently facing criticism for enacting a mass amnesty for illegal immigrants, which is straining public services after being claimed by far more migrants than the government initially estimated. Spain regularizing illegal immigrants could impact the broader European Union, with most EU members operating within a borderless free migration zone. |
.@POTUS: “Spain is a wasted cause. We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore by the way… Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don’t participate, they don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain.” pic.twitter.com/3prqux6p54
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 8, 2026
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.
show less
