President Donald Trump threatened to cut off trade with Spain on Wednesday, accusing Madrid of failing to cooperate with NATO after it barred the US from using jointly operated bases on its territory for strikes against Iran, Anadolu reports.
“I think they’re not cooperating at all. Spain. I think they’ve been very bad, very bad, not good at all. We may cut off trade with Spain,” Trump told reporters, adding that Madrid has been “very bad to NATO” and does not want to “pay their fair share.”
Trump questioned Madrid’s policies toward the alliance, saying Spain benefits from NATO protection but has long resisted increasing defense spending.
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The remarks come amid tensions between Washington and Madrid about Spain’s opposition to the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Spain’s leftist government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, rejected the military campaign as “reckless and illegal” and barred US aircraft from using jointly operated bases in southern Spain in the offensive against Tehran.
Trump threatened to impose a full trade embargo on Spain while criticizing Madrid for not meeting NATO’s new defense spending target of 5%.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Tuesday that relations with Washington remain “operating normally,” and that both countries’ embassies continue to maintain regular diplomatic contacts.
READ: Israeli official responds to Trump: War with Iran not finished yet
