President Donald Trump declared his intent to impose a complete trade embargo on Spain after Madrid denied U.S. forces access to Spanish military bases for operations relating to recent strikes on Iran. The announcement raises uncertainty for economic ties between the United States and Spain.
Speaking during a White House meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, President Trump said that the U.S. would sever all commercial exchanges with Spain, following Spain’s refusal to authorize use of joint military facilities for operations not sanctioned by the United Nations. Trump added that the U.S. has no strategic need for Spanish trade or cooperation.
The restrictions by Spain were outlined by Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, who stated that his country would not permit use of its southern bases at Rota and Moron for actions outside the UN framework. Albares clarified that these installations were not involved in the recent U.S. attack targeting Iran.
In response, the U.S. military repositioned 15 aircraft, including refueling planes, that had been stationed at the Spanish bases. The confrontation comes amid ongoing U.S. pressure for NATO members, including Spain, to raise defense expenditure to 5% of GDP—an appeal Madrid has not embraced.
There is limited clarity over how an embargo could be implemented, as Spain is part of the European Union, whose trade agreements cover all 27 member states.
Nonetheless, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that the Supreme Court reaffirmed the president’s authority to enact such measures under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and noted that the USTR and Commerce Department would initiate further inquiries to identify possible punitive actions.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has labeled recent U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran as “unjustifiable” and “dangerous,” reiterating calls for immediate reduction in regional tensions and negotiations. The Spanish government has also moved to block ships carrying arms to Israel from docking at its ports, further straining bilateral ties.
