President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the United States will terminate all trade with Spain, citing the country’s refusal to allow American forces to use military bases for strikes against Iran.
The decision follows a move by the Spanish government to block U.S. access to the Rota and Morón bases, which have hosted American forces since the 1950s under bilateral defense agreements. Spanish officials defended the restriction, stating that the facilities must “operate within the framework of international law.”
In the Oval Office, Trump told reporters he had instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut off all dealings with the country. The President linked the decision to Spain’s refusal to meet his 5% GDP defense spending target for NATO members.
“Spain has been terrible,” Trump said. “In fact, I told Scott to cut off all dealings with Spain. First of all, it started when every European nation, at my request, paid 5%, which they should be doing. And everybody was enthusiastic, Germany, everybody. But Spain didn’t do it, and now Spain actually said that we can’t use their bases.”
READ: Border Chief Noem Blasts “Dangerous” Rhetoric In Minnesota As D.C. Clashes Over Security
The President added that while Spain has “great people,” he believes they lack “great leadership.” He stated, “Spain has absolutely nothing that we need… So we’re gonna cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”
The diplomatic rift comes after the U.S. and Israel launched “Operation Epic Fury” early Saturday, targeting Iran’s nuclear program and senior officials. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Monday that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and 48 other leaders were killed in the attack.
Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, condemned the operation and called for “immediate de-escalation and full respect for international law.”
Additionally, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles stated in a press conference that the U.S. and Israel violated agreements to “comply with international legal frameworks” during the strikes.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
