President Donald Trump escalated tensions with Spain on Tuesday, threatening a complete trade embargo after Madrid refused to allow U.S. forces to use jointly operated military bases for strikes on Iran.
Speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House, Trump called Spain “terrible” and “unfriendly”. He said he had ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to sever all commercial ties with the NATO ally.
“We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain,” Trump told reporters. “We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”
NOW – Trump: “We’re gonna cut off all trade with Spain, we don’t want anything to do with Spain.” pic.twitter.com/Zjm1zXflfu
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) March 3, 2026
The threat followed Spain’s refusal to permit operations from the Rota naval station and Morón Air Base in support of ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the campaign as an “unjustified, dangerous military intervention” that violated international law.
Speaking at a press conference at Armilla Air Base, Defense Minister Margarita Robles stated that American troops stationed in Spain must “operate within the framework of international law” and that the installations would not support offensive operations. A 1953 bilateral agreement grants Madrid authority over how U.S. forces use the bases.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer offered measured support for the proposal during the Oval Office meeting. Bessent added that a recent Supreme Court ruling had “reaffirmed” the president’s authority to impose an economic embargo, according to Politico.
Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed 15 U.S. aircraft, including Boeing KC-135 aerial refueling tankers, departed Spanish bases over the weekend. At least seven landed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, while two were traced to southern France and four others disappeared from public tracking. According to Berliner Zeitung, Ramstein has seen unprecedented activity, with transport planes taking off and landing “every minute” to support Middle East operations.
The dispute compounds existing friction over Spain’s rejection of NATO’s 5% GDP defense spending target. Spain allocated roughly 1.28% of GDP to defense in 2024, the lowest proportion in the alliance. Trump has previously suggested expelling Spain from NATO over the issue.
Merz reminded Trump that Spain belongs to the European Union, complicating any attempt to impose unilateral trade restrictions. The 27-member bloc negotiates commercial agreements collectively.
Madrid responded that any review of the bilateral trade relationship must respect “the autonomy of private companies, international law, and bilateral agreements between the European Union and the United States.”
Total goods trade between the two countries reached approximately $47 billion in 2025, with the U.S. maintaining a surplus of roughly $5 billion, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
