Trump Announces End of Trade Relations with Spain at NATO Summit in Ankara

Trump described Spain as a "hoffnungslosen Fall." The president's anger was also directed at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni – the relationship had "etwas abgekühlt, weil sie sich weigerte, uns zu helfen"; at the same time, however, he called her a "nette Person." He also reiterated his demand that the autonomous Danish territory of Greenland be placed under US control. The island was "sehr wichtig" for the USA, "zum Schutz der Welt, nicht nur der Vereinigten Staaten," as he stressed.

Instruction to Treasury Secretary Bessent

As reported by the news agency dpa-AFX, citing the White House, Trump addressed US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent directly during the appearance: "Ich will keinen Handel mit ihnen treiben, einverstanden?" Bessent replied: "Yes, Sir." Trump added that the measure should be implemented immediately and that one should "gar nicht erst mit den Spaniern sprechen."

In Spanish government circles, the reaction was described as "gelassen." Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, one of Trump's sharpest European critics on foreign and military policy, emphasized to journalists that Spain fulfills its commitments to NATO. He would take Trump's words "mit Ruhe und Geduld." Before the group photo, Sánchez and Trump had exchanged "nur freundliche Worte und Höflichkeit," also about football and the World Cup. Asked about the tensions, Sánchez said briefly: "Business as usual."

Spain's Calm Reaction

The EU Commission stood behind Spain. "Die Kommission wird stets sicherstellen, dass die Interessen der Europäischen Union und all unserer Mitgliedsstaaten vollständig geschützt sind," it said from Brussels. Several EU heads of state and government declared that Spain fulfills all obligations and expects the same in return from the USA. The Spanish economy is the fourth-largest in the EU.

In fact, bilateral US trade measures against Spain are likely to be difficult to enforce: on trade matters, the EU member states have largely transferred their competences to the EU Commission in Brussels, which speaks and negotiates on behalf of all member states – including in disputes over tariffs. Spain is part of the European single market and the common customs union.

Limitations on US Measures

Should Trump actually impose an embargo on Spain, the EU could deploy its instrument against economic coercion. This allows, among other things, US companies to be excluded from public contracts or digital corporations such as Apple, Microsoft, Google, or Meta to be hit with surcharges.

Trump himself also commented on Wednesday on the war against Iran. He declared that the existing ceasefire between the US and Iran was effectively over, as the Iranian leadership had "schlecht verhalten" itself. Attacks would therefore continue. At the same time, he announced talks with Kyiv on licensing Patriot air defense systems and the purchase of Ukrainian drones.

On the sidelines of the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that NATO had promised Ukraine at least 70 billion euros in military aid for 2027. For 2026 and 2027, the EU has already pledged Kyiv around 60 billion euros in loans. Trump praised Ukraine as "sehr effizient" in its defense against Russia.

Defense Spending and NATO Solidarity

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) said on the sidelines of the summit: "Wir haben geliefert." He was referring to Germany's increased defense spending. For 2026, Germany reported 124.7 billion euros in defense spending – an increase of 25.5 percent over the previous year. The European NATO countries and Canada will spend a total of 634 billion dollars on defense this year, according to new alliance figures, eleven percent more than the previous year.

Rutte tried to mediate. Before the working session of the alliance partners, he declared: "Es gibt ein uneingeschränktes Bekenntnis der Vereinigten Staaten zur Nato." Trump had encouraged the European allies and Canada to increase their defense spending – "das hat wirklich geholfen." The 32 NATO heads of state and government also advocated on Tuesday evening for the planned delivery of armaments worth at least 50 billion dollars.

Greenland Remains Contested

The summit declaration, which had been drafted by the member states' ambassadors, provides for an "unerschütterliche Verpflichtung" to collective defense. All heads of state and government – including Trump and Zelensky – reaffirmed their commitment to Article 5 of the NATO treaty. Rutte was overall confident: "Ich habe im Tagungsraum nur einen großen Sinn für Einigkeit gesehen."

With regard to Greenland, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in Ankara once again that the island was "nicht zum Verkauf." Other NATO states assured Denmark of their solidarity: "Wir sind bereit, jeden Zentimeter des Nato-Gebiets zu verteidigen, einschließlich unseres eigenen Territoriums."

Total merchandise trade between the US and Spain amounted to around 42 billion euros in 2025, according to official figures – including US exports worth around 23 billion euros to Spain and around 19 billion euros from Spain to the US. Trump did not notice that the US exports more to Spain than vice versa.

Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez does not want to be unsettled by Trump's words. There was "keine Möglichkeit, Spanien besonders schlecht zu behandeln." He had made clear at the meeting with Trump that Spain was a member of the EU and that tariffs with the US would only be negotiated "nur gemeinsam oder gar nicht."

In the opposition CDU in Germany, the co-party chairwoman urged Merz in the meantime to stand by Spain: "Der Bundeskanzler hat Spanien bei seinem Besuch im Weißen Haus schon einmal im Regen stehen lassen – jetzt hat er die Gelegenheit, genau das wiedergutzumachen."