Trump threatens to cut off all trade dealings with Spain

“And now Spain actually said that we can’t use their bases, and that’s all right. We could use their base if we want. We could just fly in and use it. Nobody’s going to tell us not to use it,” Trump added.

Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, and Jose Manuel Albares, Spain’s foreign minister, denied the U.S. permission to use their jointly operated military bases during Operation Epic Fry.

“We reject the unilateral military action by the United States and Israel, which represents an escalation and contributes to a more uncertain and hostile international order,” Sanchez wrote on X. “We cannot afford another prolonged and devastating war in the Middle East.”

Trump was particularly incensed that Spain had not increased its defense spending in NATO to 5%, up from the 2% previously negotiated. Spain is the only member of the alliance that has not agreed to the 5% spending target.

“They were the only country that, in NATO, would not agree to go up to 5%,” said Trump. “They wanted to keep it at 2% and they don’t pay the 2%, so we were going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”

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Merz agreed with Trump that Spain must increase its defense spending.

“We are trying to convince Spain to catch up with the 3% or 3.5%, which we agree on in NATO. And as the president said, it’s correct, Spain is the only one who is not willing to accept that,” Merz said. “And we are trying to convince them that this is part of our common security, that we all have to comply with these numbers. And this is 3.5 for military and another 1.5 for our military infrastructure. So Spain has to comply with that.”