Donald Trump threatens to cut off all trade with Spain after refusal on military bases. The US leader, also critical of Keir Starmer: “He is not Winston Churchill”
Donald Trump. Credit line: Kyle Mazza / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would “cut off all trade” with Spain after Madrid refused to allow the use of jointly operated military bases for attacks on Iran. In the same context, the White House leader declared himself “displeased” with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Asked at the White House meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz what he thought of European allies, Donald Trump said he was satisfied with some of them, but not with others.
After specifically mentioning Spain, he turned his attention to the United Kingdom.
“I'm not happy with Britain,” Trump said.
“It took us three or four days to figure out where we could land,” he added. “It's not Winston Churchill we're dealing with.”
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer initially delayed providing military support for strikes against Iran, but said late Sunday he would allow the United States to use British military bases for defensive strikes after they were not used in the initial attack on Iran. Iran then launched several airstrikes on British military bases in Cyprus used for strikes against it.
Direct threat to Madrid
Regarding Spain, he said he would “stop all trade” with the country and added that he had asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to “sever all relations” with Madrid.
Spain refused to grant the United States permission to use jointly operated military bases on its territory to launch attacks on Iran, prompting the US to withdraw several KC-135 aircraft from bases in Cadiz and Seville.
“Each country makes its own foreign policy decisions. Spain has a very clear position: Europe's voice at this moment must be one of balance and moderation, working for de-escalation and a return to the negotiating table,” Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Monday.
Prime Minister Sanchez also explicitly condemned the US and Israel's “unilateral military action” against Iran, warning that it was contributing to “a more hostile and uncertain international order.”
Relations between the socialist government of Pedro Sanchez and the administration of Donald Trump have been tense for a long time, especially after Spain refused to comply with NATO's request, formulated under the pressure of the American president, to increase its defense spending to 5 percent of GDP. Added to this were the controversies related to Washington's tariff policy, notes News.ro.
