President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States would halt trade with Spain, calling the country a “terrible partner in NATO” and accusing Madrid of refusing to meet the alliance’s defense obligations.
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Trump made the remarks while meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the alliance’s summit in Ankara, Turkey. The president turned to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and directed him to move immediately.
.@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
“We don’t have to trade with them, I don’t want to do any more trade with them… take it immediately, don’t even talk to them. They’re hopeless, bad people,” Trump said.
Bessent replied, “Yes sir,” and Trump said he believed Spain would “come running back.”
The announcement came as Trump continued pressing European NATO members to increase defense spending and move beyond what he views as a post-Cold War model of heavy welfare spending and minimal military investment.
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Spain has resisted NATO’s 5 percent of gross domestic product defense spending target, instead holding to the previous 2 percent benchmark. Trump also criticized Spain for refusing to assist the United States in the conflict with Iran.
“Spain is a terrible partner in NATO,” Trump said. “They don’t participate, they don’t pay… they’re open about it, they’re hostile.”
Trump also said Spain had treated Rutte “terribly.”
It remains unclear what form a trade cutoff would take. Trump has previously threatened action against Spain over its approach to NATO.
European officials pushed back quickly, arguing the United States cannot single out Spain for a trade embargo because Spain is part of the European Union’s single market.
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A European Union spokesperson urged Washington to “honor its commitments.”
