President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he wants the United States to halt all trade with Spain, escalating a dispute that has centered on the country’s defense spending and its role within NATO.
Speaking during a news conference in Ankara, Turkey, Trump directed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut off trade with the European nation, arguing that Spain has repeatedly failed to meet its obligations to the alliance.
“Spain is a wasted cause,” Trump said in remarks later posted to X.
Turning to Bessent, Trump added, “We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore, by the way. I’d like you to cut it out.”
Trump’s criticism focused primarily on Spain’s defense spending, an issue he has raised throughout his presidency while pressing NATO members to increase their military budgets. He also referenced Spain’s position during the conflict involving Iran, saying the country would not allow the United States to launch missions from the American bases at Morón and Rota.
Calling Spain “a terrible partner in NATO,” Trump argued that the country has failed to contribute its fair share.
“They don’t participate, they don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain,” Trump said.
He then instructed Bessent to move forward with the trade cutoff.
“Cut off all trade with Spain, including visits,” Trump said. “We don’t want anything to do… Watch them come running back. They’ll come running back.”
Trump also criticized Spain’s relationship with NATO leadership, gesturing toward Secretary General Mark Rutte as he argued that the alliance continued to support a country that had not fulfilled its responsibilities.
.@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
“Spain doesn’t agree to anything and you shouldn’t carry them,” Trump said. “But we don’t have to. We don’t have to trade with them. I don’t want to do any trade with them. No more trade with them. Alright? Immediately. Don’t even talk to them.”
He continued by accusing Spain of taking a hostile approach toward paying what he considers its proper share for Europe’s defense.
“They’re hopeless. Bad people,” Trump said. “Let’s see how hostile they remain when they call up and they say, ‘please, please we want to trade with you, sir, we want to trade with you sir.’ They make so much money with us and we’re going to see that they make a lot less.”
According to Reuters, Bessent acknowledged the instruction during the exchange, responding at one point, “Yes, sir.”
Despite Trump’s criticism, Rutte said Spain has made progress in increasing its military spending.
According to CNBC, the NATO secretary general noted that Trump had previously succeeded in pressuring Spain to raise its defense budget.
“You got Spain to pay 2 percent. They spent, they made a huge step in last year,” Rutte said, while adding that there were still “issues we have to solve” regarding Spain.
Spain has increased its defense spending from 1.4 percent of gross domestic product in 2021 to approximately 2.1 percent in 2025. Even with that increase, the country remains below the higher spending levels Trump has urged NATO members to adopt.
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker characterized the ongoing disagreements as part of the alliance’s adjustment to changing security expectations rather than a fundamental breakdown in relations.
“I see these as just the challenges that we’ve worked through before,” Whitaker said.
Trump’s comments marked another escalation in his campaign to pressure NATO allies to shoulder a greater share of collective defense costs
