US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he had ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Besant to cut all trade ties with Spain, attacking Madrid as a "bad partner" in NATO.
Trump's remarks came during an appearance alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, ahead of a NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara, and he said he had instructed the Treasury Secretary to cut all trade ties with Spain, while expressing his displeasure with NATO's position on Greenland and Iran.
During his remarks, the US president did not provide further details on the nature of the trade measures requested or when they would come into effect, nor did the Spanish government immediately comment on these statements.
Trump's remarks come at a time when relations within NATO are witnessing escalating discussions on a number of security and political files, including developments related to Iran and the Arctic region.
Madrid response
On the other hand, the office of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was quick to issue an official statement to respond to the US threats, in which he stressed that Madrid enjoys excellent social, cultural and economic relations with the United States, stressing that the Spanish government does not intend to change this stable path.
The Spanish statement added that bilateral relations and joint ties between the two countries are beneficial and fruitful for both parties, whether in terms of trade exchange or joint defense coordination, ruling out his country's desire to enter into an open economic confrontation with Washington.
The Roots of the Clash
This escalatory step comes as the culmination of a series of accumulated tensions between the two countries, as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has emerged in recent months as the most critical of European officials, especially on immigration and the position on Israel's war on Gaza.
The differences were exacerbated by Spain's firm refusal to commit to raising its defense spending to 5 percent of GDP like other European countries, to the crucial turning point of Sánchez's categorical refusal to allow U.S. forces to use two joint military bases on Spanish soil to launch strikes against Iran, and his scathing public attack on that war.
Appeasement and threat
In terms of the atmosphere of the Ankara summit, Trump clearly threatened the possibility of withdrawing more US troops deployed on the European continent, revealing that he could have boycotted the summit altogether if it were not for the strong friendship he has with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country hosts the meetings.
Reacting to these pressures, NATO has clearly sought to show its European members that it is responsive to the White House's demands and reduce its reliance on Washington, announcing a massive package of new arms deals totaling at least $50 billion as a move to appease the U.S. president.
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