Trump Threatens to Stop Trade With Spain, Calls It a ‘Wasted Cause’

ijr.com

President Donald Trump threatened to end trade with Spain for refusing to commit to the NATO's new defense spending target.

President Donald Trump is ready to say adios to trading with Spain.

The president threatened to end Trade with the European country for refusing to commit to the NATO's new defense spending target.

"Spain is a wasted cause," Trump said at the the NATO summit Wednesday. "We don't want to do any Trade business with Spain anymore, by the way."

"Cut off all Trade with Spain, please, including visits,” he added.

NATO leaders have backed a new defense spending benchmark which calls on allies to invest 5% of gross domestic product in defense and defense-related expenditures.

Spain has been the only member to reject committing to the full target. The country wants more flexibility in how it will meet NATO capability goals.

Trump argued Spain has benefited from the alliance while failing to contribute its fair share.

"They don't participate, they don't pay. I don't want anything to do with Spain," Trump said. "I don't want to do any more Trade with him. All right? Take it immediately. Don't even talk to them."

Watch:

https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2074775059210654114?s=20

Trump also said Spain would eventually want Trade with the United States again.

"They're hostile about it, and let's see how hostile they remain when they call up and they, 'Please, please, we want to Trade with you, sir,'" Trump said. "They make so much money with us, and we're going to see that they make a lot less. I want no business with them."

Trump has criticized NATO allies that spend less on defense.

Throughout both of his times in the Oval Office, Trump has argued countries that do not meet alliance spending commitments unfairly rely on the United States for their security.

Any effort to significantly restrict Trade with Spain, could have legal and diplomatic hurdles.

Spain is a member of the European Union, which negotiates Trade policy as a customs union rather than through separate bilateral Trade agreements with individual member states.