After Madrid prohibited the US from using its military sites at Morón and Rota for operations connected to Iran, the US has threatened to impose trade sanctions on Spain.
President Donald Trump declared at the White House, “We’re going to cut off all trade,” and described Spain as “terrible.” Spain is not something we want to deal with. I could discontinue everything related to Spain and every business related to Spain tomorrow, or even better, today.
The administration could lawfully place an embargo on Spanish goods, according to US officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, on the other hand, was less certain, saying, “We’re going to talk about it with you… if you need to use it to assure national and economic security, we’ll do it.”
Trump also voiced his displeasure with Spain’s failure to raise defense expenditure to the NATO benchmark of 5% of GDP. In 2025, the US imported about $21 billion in products, including olive oil and medications, and exported about $26 billion in goods to Spain.
In response, Pedro Sánchez, the prime minister of Spain, defended the country’s choice in a broadcast speech from La Moncloa. “Nobody is on the side of the ayatollahs, therefore the question is not whether we are. “The question is whether we support international law and peace,” he stated.
Madrid stressed that prohibiting US military access is consistent with both international law and the UN charter. The government reaffirmed Spain’s steadfast opposition to war, citing previous conflicts such as the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Gaza, and Ukraine, and is examining ways to shield residents from possible economic consequences.
According to reports, Friedrich Merz, the chancellor of Germany, informed the United States that any trade talks with the European Union must include Spain.
Spain emphasized that bilateral agreements, international law, and private sector autonomy must all be respected in trade talks. Given Spain’s EU membership and legal protections, it is still unclear if the US will take economic action.
