ANKARA: US President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday (Jul 8) at a NATO summit that he had ordered his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to chop off all commerce with Spain, calling Madrid a “horrible companion” within the alliance.
Trump, talking alongside NATO Secretary Normal Mark Rutte at the beginning of the summit in Ankara, stated he needed no enterprise with Spain.
Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with Spain, which has not agreed to NATO’s new defence spending goal of 5 per cent of GDP and whose Socialist management refused to let the US use its airspace or bases on its territory for the Iran battle.
“Spain does not comply with something, and also you should not carry them,” Trump informed Rutte.
“I do not wish to do any commerce with them, alright?” he stated, turning to Bessent, who replied: “Sure, sir.”
“Take it instantly, do not even discuss to them. They’re hopeless. They’re unhealthy individuals,” he added. “They make a lot cash with us, and we will see that they make lots much less. I would like no enterprise with them.”
The USA has two vital navy bases in Spain: Naval Station Rota and Moron Air Base.
An inside Pentagon e-mail outlined choices for the USA to punish NATO allies it believes didn’t help US operations within the battle with Iran, together with suspending Spain from the alliance, a US official informed Reuters in April.
