Trump threatens to cut off trade with Spain for not allowing base to strike Iran

President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to end trade with Spain citing a lack of support over the US and Israeli attacks on Iran and the European nationrsquos resistance to increasing its NATO spendingldquoWersquore going to cut off all trade with Spainrdquo Trump told reporters during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ldquoWe donrsquot want anything to do with SpainrdquoThe US presidentrsquos comments came a day after Spanish Foreign Minister Joseacute Manuel Albares said his country would not allow the US to use jointly operated bases in southern Spain in any strikes not covered by the United Nationsrsquo charter Albares noted that the military bases in Spain were not used in the weekend attack on IranTrump said despite Spainrsquos refusal ldquowe could use their base if we want We could just fly in and use it Nobodyrsquos going to tell us not to use it but we donrsquot have tordquoIt is unclear how Trump would cut off trade with Spain given that Spain is under the umbrella of the European Union The EU negotiates trade deals on behalf of all 27 member countriesldquoIf the US administration wishes to review the trade agreement it must do so respecting the autonomy of private companies international law and bilateral agreements between the European Union and the United Statesrdquo a spokesperson from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Saacutenchezrsquos office said TuesdayThe EU said it expects the Trump administration to honor a trade deal struck with the 27nation bloc in Scotland last year after months of economic uncertainty over Trumprsquos tariff blitzkriegldquoThe Commission will always ensure that the interests of the European Union are fully protectedrdquo said European Commission spokesperson Olof GillIt was just the latest instance of the president wielding the threat of tariffs or trade embargoes as a punishment and came on the heels of a Supreme Court decision that struck down Trumprsquos farreaching global tariffs While the court said that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs Trump now maintains that the court allows him to instead impose fullscale embargoes on other nations of his choosingTrump also complained anew Tuesday about Spainrsquos decision last year to back out of NATOrsquos 5 pc defense spending target At the time Spain said it could reach its military capabilities by spending 21 pc of its GDP a move that Trump roundly criticized and responded to with tariff threats as wellSpain Trump said is ldquothe only country that in NATO would not agree to go up to 537rdquo in NATO spending ldquoI donrsquot think they agreed to go up to anything They wanted to keep it at 2 pc and they donrsquot pay the 2 pcrdquoMerz noted that Trump was correct and said ldquoWe are trying to convince them that this is a part of our common security that we all have to comply with thisrdquoSpain defended its position Tuesday saying it is ldquoa key member of NATO fulfilling its commitments and making a significant contribution to the defense of European territoryrdquo the spokesperson in Saacutenchezrsquos office saidDuring the Oval Office meeting Trump turned to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for his opinion on the presidentrsquos embargo authorityBessent said ldquoI agree that the Supreme Court reaffirmed your ability to implement an embargordquo Bessent added that the US Trade Representative and Commerce Department would ldquobegin investigations and wersquoll move forward with thoserdquoA representative from the US Treasury Department did not respond to a request from The Associated Press for additional commentSaacutenchez has been critical of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran calling it an ldquounjustifiablerdquo and ldquodangerousrdquo military intervention His government has demanded an immediate deescalation and dialogue and also condemned Iranrsquos strikes across the regionTrump said ldquoSpain has absolutely nothing that we need other than great people They have great people but they donrsquot have great leadershiprdquoSpainrsquos position on the use of US bases in its territory marks the latest flareup in its relationship with the Trump administration Under Saacutenchez Europersquos last major progressive leader Spain was also an outspoken critic of Israelrsquos war in GazaThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever