July 8 (UPI) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday at the NATO summit that he wants to cut off all trade with Spain, calling it a “wasted cause.”
Trump’s criticized Spain for its defense spending, calling it a “terrible partner,” while at the summit in Ankara, Turkey.
“Spain is a wasted cause,” he said. “We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore by the way. Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don’t participate. They don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain. Cut off all trade with Spain, please, including visits.”
Trump was seated with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte when he made the comments.
The president’s latest remarks are a continuation of his tiff with Spain over defense spending. Spain is the one member of NATO that did not commit at least 5% of its GDP to defense spending by 2035 last year.
Rutte commended Spain for increasing its defense spending last year, crediting Trump for encouraging it.
“You got Spain to pay 2%,” Rutte said. “They spent. They made a huge step in last year.”
Spain spent 2.1% of its GDP on defense in 2025, an increase from 1.4% in 2021.
Trump has also been critical of NATO as a whole over other member nations not contributing to the level of the United States historically.
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