U.S. President Donald Trump announced today, Wednesday, during the NATO summit in Ankara, that he has ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bencin to cut all forms of trade with Spain, considering Madrid a “very bad partner” in the alliance.
Trump stated, speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the summit’s opening: “I want no business with Spain.” He added, addressing Rutte: “Spain does not agree to anything, and you should not take them with you.”
Trump continued, addressing the Treasury Secretary: “I do not want to do business with them, okay? Take it immediately, and don’t even talk to them. They are hopeless. They are bad people. They make a lot of money from us, and we will ensure they make much less. I want no business with them.”
This escalation comes in light of Trump’s repeated frustrations with Spain, which did not agree to NATO’s new defense spending goal of 5% of GDP, and its socialist leadership refused to allow the United States to use its airspace or military bases during the war with Iran.
Spain hosts two important American military bases: the Rota Naval Station and the Morón Air Base.
A memo from the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) last April outlined options to punish NATO allies who failed to support U.S. operations in the war with Iran, including suspending Spain’s membership in the alliance, according to an American official who spoke to Reuters.
It is worth noting that the United States has extensive trade relations with Spain, and the decision to cut trade is expected to have significant economic repercussions on both sides.
