President Donald Trump said the United States should cut off all trade with Spain during the NATO summit in Turkey on Wednesday [1].
The threat signals a potential escalation in diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and one of its European allies. A total trade cessation would disrupt economic ties and could impact the stability of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's internal cohesion.
Trump made the comments early Wednesday, July 8, 2026 [2], while attending the summit. He said the nation is a "terrible partner" [3].
"I don't want anything to do with Spain," Trump said [4].
The president linked his frustration to defense obligations. According to reports, Spain is the only NATO member that has not committed to spending five percent [5] of its gross domestic product on defense.
Beyond funding disputes, Trump said concerns about Iran were a contributing factor for his stance [6]. He said, "We will cut off all trade with Spain" [7].
Legal experts and analysts have questioned whether the president can unilaterally enact such a policy against a NATO ally [8]. While the rhetoric is sharp, the actual mechanism for cutting off all trade would require significant executive or legislative action, a process that typically involves complex trade laws and international treaties.
Spain has not yet issued a formal response to the threat made during the summit in Turkey.
“"Spain is a terrible partner."”
This move reflects a shift toward using aggressive trade leverage to enforce defense spending targets among NATO members. By targeting Spain specifically for failing to meet a 5% GDP spending threshold, the U.S. administration is signaling that military contributions are now inextricably linked to economic partnerships.
