Trump Threatens to Cut $47 Billion in U.S.-Spain Trade as Madrid Rejects NATO's 5% Target
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 8
Trump Threatens to Cut $47 Billion in U.S.-Spain Trade as Madrid Rejects NATO's 5% Target
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 8
Summary
At the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump escalated his attack on Spain by urging an immediate halt to all U.S. trade and even visits, calling the ally a "wasted cause."
The threat followed NATO leaders' endorsement of a new 5% of GDP defense benchmark, which Spain alone publicly refused to fully accept, seeking flexibility instead.
Any actual trade cutoff faces major obstacles because Spain trades through the European Union's common commercial policy, and the White House gave no details on whether Trump was announcing a formal measure.
U.S.-Spain goods trade totaled about $47 billion in 2025, with the United States exporting roughly $26 billion and importing about $21 billion.
The clash also builds on wider friction this year after Madrid criticized the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran and barred U.S. offensive use of the Rota and Moron bases.