Trump threatens to cut off all trade with Spain

Jul 08, 2026

Trump lashed out at Spain at the NATO summit, threatening to end all trade — bad for US credibility, but likely just talk with no legal power behind it.

  • Trump said the US will stop all trade with Spain, calling it a bad NATO partner that "doesn't pay."
  • The anger goes back to Spain refusing to spend 5% of its economy on defense like other NATO members agreed to.
  • Spain also criticized the Iran war and blocked the US from using its bases for it.
  • Trump can't actually do this alone — the Supreme Court just ruled these trade decisions belong to Congress, and Spain poses no security threat to justify an emergency workaround.
  • Spain shrugged it off as business as usual, saying it still expects good trade ties with the US.

Outlook: The threat will likely go nowhere legally, but it adds to the picture of the US straining ties with its own allies.

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