Washington D.C., – United States President Donald Trump has threatened to sever trade and diplomatic ties with Spain after the NATO ally reportedly declined to permit the US to use its military bases on Spanish soil for operations against Iran.
Speaking during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump accused Spain of being “problematic” and announced that he had instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to halt all business dealings with Madrid. “We’re going to stop all trade with Spain. We don’t want any connection with Spain,” he said.
The warning followed remarks by Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, who stated after a cabinet meeting that the military facilities in Rota and Morón are Spanish sovereign bases jointly used with the US under an existing bilateral treaty. He emphasized that any use of the bases must fall within the framework of that agreement and respect Spain’s sovereignty.
Albares added that Washington had not formally requested the use of the bases for strikes against Iran and that he had not engaged in discussions with US representatives regarding such a move. He downplayed the likelihood of retaliatory measures, saying there was nothing unusual in the current arrangements.
Trump also criticized Spain for failing to commit to NATO’s proposed target requiring member states to allocate 5% of their GDP to defence spending, contrasting Madrid’s stance with that of other allies, including Germany. He maintained that while the US could access the bases if it chose to, Spain’s position was “unfriendly.”
Tensions between Washington and Madrid come amid escalating hostilities involving Iran, with the US and its allies intensifying military actions in the region.
