Trump Threatens To Cut Off Trade With Spain For Refusing U.s. Use Of Joint Bases In Iran War

WASHINGTON — President Trump connected Tuesday threatened to extremity waste and acquisition pinch Spain, citing a deficiency of support complete nan U.S. and Israeli attacks connected Iran and nan European nation’s guidance to expanding its NATO spending.

“We’re going to trim disconnected each waste and acquisition pinch Spain,” Trump told reporters during an Oval Office gathering pinch German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “We don’t want thing to do pinch Spain.”

The U.S. president’s comments came a time aft Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said his state would not let nan U.S. to usage jointly operated bases successful confederate Spain successful immoderate strikes not covered by nan United Nations’ charter. Albares noted that nan subject bases successful Spain were not utilized successful nan play onslaught connected Iran.

Trump said contempt Spain’s refusal “we could usage their guidelines if we want. We could conscionable alert successful and usage it. Nobody’s going to show america not to usage it, but we don’t person to.”

It is unclear really Trump would trim disconnected waste and acquisition pinch Spain, fixed that Spain is nether nan umbrella of nan European Union. The EU negotiates waste and acquisition deals connected behalf of each 27 personnel countries.

“If nan U.S. management wishes to reappraisal nan waste and acquisition agreement, it must do truthful respecting nan autonomy of backstage companies, world law, and bilateral agreements betwixt nan European Union and nan United States,” a spokesperson from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s agency said Tuesday.

The EU said it expects nan Trump management to grant a waste and acquisition woody struck pinch nan 27-nation bloc successful Scotland past twelvemonth aft months of economical uncertainty complete Trump’s tariff blitzkrieg.

“The Commission will ever guarantee that nan interests of nan European Union are afloat protected,” European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said.

It was conscionable nan latest lawsuit of nan president wielding nan threat of tariffs aliases waste and acquisition embargoes arsenic a reward and came connected nan heels of a Supreme Court determination that struck down Trump’s far-reaching world tariffs. While nan tribunal said nan International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize nan president to unilaterally enforce sweeping tariffs, Trump now maintains that nan tribunal allows him to alternatively enforce full-scale embargoes connected different nations of his choosing.

Trump besides complained anew Tuesday astir Spain’s determination past twelvemonth to backmost retired of NATO’s 5% defense spending target. At nan time, Spain said it could scope its subject capabilities by spending 2.1% of its gross home product, a move Trump roundly criticized and responded to pinch tariff threats arsenic well.

Spain, Trump said, is “the only state that successful NATO would not work together to spell up to 5%” successful spending. “I don’t deliberation they agreed to spell up to anything. They wanted to support it astatine 2% and they don’t salary nan 2%.”

Merz noted that Trump was correct and said, “We are trying to person them that this is simply a portion of our communal security, that we each person to comply pinch this.”

Spain defended its position Tuesday, saying it is “a cardinal personnel of NATO, fulfilling its commitments and making a important publication to nan defense of European territory,” nan spokesperson successful Sánchez’s agency said.

During nan Oval Office meeting, Trump turned to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for his sentiment connected nan president’s embargo authority.

“I work together that nan Supreme Court reaffirmed your expertise to instrumentality an embargo,” Bessent said, and added that nan U.S. Trade Representative and Commerce Department would “begin investigations and we’ll move guardant pinch those.”

A typical from nan U.S. Treasury Department did not respond to a petition from nan Associated Press for further comment.

Sánchez has been captious of nan U.S. and Israeli attacks connected Iran, calling it an “unjustifiable” and “dangerous” subject intervention. His authorities has demanded an contiguous deescalation and speech and besides condemned Iran’s strikes crossed nan region.

“Spain has perfectly thing that we request different than awesome people,” Trump said. “They person awesome people, but they don’t person awesome leadership.”

Spain’s position connected nan usage of U.S. bases successful its territory marks nan latest flare-up successful its narration pinch nan Trump administration. Under Sánchez, Europe’s past awesome progressive leader, Spain besides has been an outspoken professional of Israel’s warfare successful Gaza.

Hussein and Naishadham constitute for nan Associated Press. Naishadham reported from Madrid. AP journalist Sam McNeil successful Brussels contributed to this report.