🔸 Trump wants to halt trade with Spain

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, once again launched a sharp attack on Spain and announced tough measures against this NATO member.

On Wednesday, July 8 (17 Tir), on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said that he had instructed Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, to stop all business ties with Spain.

Trump called Spain a “horrible partner” in the NATO military alliance and, while speaking alongside Mark Rutte, NATO’s secretary general, said: “I don’t want to do business with them.”

Trump told the NATO secretary general that Spain will not agree to anything and should not drag this country along. He also told Bessent: “I don’t want to do any business with them, okay?” The Treasury minister replied: “Yes, sir.”

Trump added that this action must be carried out immediately and that there should not even be any dialogue with Spanish officials. He said: “They’re not fixable. Bad people.”

Trump also said that Spain makes a lot of money from trade with the United States, but this situation will now change.

Before the NATO summit began, Trump had repeated his criticisms of Europe once again. At the summit of the leaders of NATO member countries, the main goal is for the U.S. president to remain committed to cooperation with this alliance.

Trump had previously also repeatedly criticized Spain harshly because the Madrid government rejected the United States’ request to European NATO member countries to significantly increase defense spending.

In addition, the socialist government of Madrid had also refused to provide U.S. airspace or its military bases for a war against Iran.

Spain responded coolly to Trump’s remarks about halting trade with the country. Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s prime minister, said in a statement that he considers Trump’s statements as a normal matter and typical behavior from him.

The government statement said that Spain has very good social, cultural, and economic relations with the United States and that the government does not intend to change those relations.

It also emphasized that bilateral relations, both in the area of trade and in defense, are beneficial to both countries.

However, Mónica García, Spain’s health minister, reacted in a sharper tone. On the social network X, she wrote: “We are an independent and democratic country that defends multilateralism and peace. What is truly horrifying is mistaking diplomacy for harassment and pressure.”

The United States has two important military bases in Spain: the “Rota” naval base and the “Morón” air base. According to one U.S. government official, the U.S. Department of Defense had earlier, in April, raised options for punishing NATO allies in an internal email, including the possibility of expelling Spain from the alliance.

After Trump’s threat to stop trade with Spain, the European Commission supported the EU member country and asked the U.S. president to remain committed to that country’s obligations to its partners.

On Wednesday in Brussels, Olof Gill, a spokesperson for the European Commission, referred to existing trade agreements and said: “We expect the United States to remain committed to its obligations within the framework of the joint statement in the same way that we have fulfilled our obligations.”

He added: “The European Commission will always ensure that the interests of the European Union and all of its member countries are fully protected.” According to him, the Commission will continue to work to keep transatlantic trade relations stable, predictable, and beneficial for both sides.

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