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Ankara, Turkey – At the opening of the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered an immediate halt to all U.S. trade with Spain, issuing the directive in a televised confrontation that underscored deepening rifts within the alliance. Speaking during a bilateral session with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump turned to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and instructed him to stop doing business with Spain, saying, “I don’t want to do any trade with them, alright?” Bessent replied, “Yes, sir,” as reporters looked on. Trump called Spain a “terrible partner” and accused it of profiting from economic ties with the United States while failing to support U.S. security priorities. Turkey – Trump linked the trade order to Spain’s refusal to meet newly established NATO defense spending targets of 5% of Gross Domestic Product and to its decision to block the U.S. military from using Spanish airspace and bases for operations in the ongoing war with Iran. He expressed frustration with European allies that he says are not contributing enough to collective defense or backing U.S. actions in the Middle East, singling out Spain’s minority leftist government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as particularly uncooperative. “Spain doesn’t agree to anything, and you shouldn’t carry them,” Trump told Rutte, before adding that Spain is “hopeless” and “bad people” and vowing that they would “make a lot less” money from trade with the United States.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.