Trump says he wants to cut off trade with Spain over NATO spending dispute

President Trump said he wants to cut off trade with Spain and told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to halt business with the country, escalating a dispute over Spain’s defense spending at NATO.

Trump made the comments Wednesday during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the alliance summit in Ankara, Turkey, where he singled out Spain as a “terrible partner” and accused it of refusing to pay its share.

“We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore,” Trump said, turning to Bessent. “I’d like you to cut it out. Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don’t participate. They don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain.”

“Cut off all trade with Spain, please, including visits,” Trump added. “We don’t want anything to do with them.”

Trump said Spain was being “hostile” about NATO spending and predicted it would eventually ask to restore trade with the United States.

“They make so much money with us, and we’re going to see that they make a lot less,” he said. “I want no business with them.”

It is the second time Trump has instructed Bessent to halt commerce with Spain over the NATO spending dispute, though trade between the two countries continued normally after a similar threat in March, according to Reuters.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended Spain after Trump’s remarks, telling reporters after the summit that the country remains a reliable NATO ally.

“We are a reliable country and we fulfill our commitments,” Sánchez said.

Sánchez said he had spoken briefly with Trump during the summit, but described it as an informal conversation about the World Cup.

“It was an informal and colloquial conversation in which there was absolutely no tension,” he said, adding that the exchange was marked by “good words and kindness.”

Reuters reported that Trump’s frustration with Madrid has grown since Sánchez refused to let the United States use Spanish airspace or bases during the Iran war.