By Gloria Nosa
What Trump Said
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on March 3, 2026, that he intends to “cut off all trade with Spain” after Madrid refused to allow U.S. military aircraft to use jointly operated Spanish bases for operations linked to the current conflict with Iran. He said the decision reflected frustration with Spain’s stance, describing it as a “terrible” ally and saying Washington no longer wanted business ties with the country.
Trump also complained that Spain has not agreed to his demands for significantly higher defence spending within NATO, and suggested he had instructed his administration to cut “all dealings” with Spain in response.
Spanish Government Pushback
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez firmly rejected the threat, declaring “No to war” and saying Spain would not be coerced into choosing sides out of fear of economic reprisals. His government emphasised that decisions on trade policy are handled at the EU level and highlighted Spain’s adherence to international law and its existing NATO commitments.
Spain noted it could withstand any economic pressure and that any unilateral U.S. trade action would need to respect international agreements and European Union authority over trade policy.
Questions Over Implementation
While Trump’s comments are stark, experts and diplomats have pointed out it remains unclear how a complete trade cutoff would be implemented, especially given existing EU–U.S. trade arrangements and legal constraints on presidential authority.
Broader Diplomatic Reaction
Other European leaders, including Friedrich Merz, have defended EU unity and resisted punitive measures targeting individual member states. These developments highlight growing tensions between the United States and some European allies over military cooperation and defence spending amid the ongoing international crisis.
