Spain downplays Trump's "wasted cause" remark, says relations "excellent" despite trade halt order
Madrid, July 8
Following US President Donald Trump's sharp criticism and his directive to halt trade with the country, Spain on Wednesday played down the remarks made by the US President, stating that Madrid "enjoys excellent" bilateral ties with the United States.
Responding to the remarks, the Spanish Prime Minister's Office said that it had no intention of allowing the comments to affect the longstanding relationship between the two countries.
"Our country enjoys excellent social, cultural, and economic relations with the US, and it is not our intention for that to change," the Prime Minister's Office said in an official statement, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
The response came after Trump described Spain as a "wasted cause" and said the United States would no longer do trade business with the country, accusing Madrid of failing to contribute adequately to NATO's defence spending.
Speaking to reporters during his meeting with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Trump criticised Spain's role in the alliance, calling it a "terrible partner" and stating that he doesn't want to do anything with Spain.
"Spain is a wasted cause. We don't want to do any trade business with Spain anymore, by the way," Trump said.
"Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don't participate, they don't pay. I don't want anything to do with Spain," he added.
Spain remains the only NATO member to refuse to commit to the alliance's new defence spending target, which was announced last year at the 2025 Summit in The Hague, where the allies committed to a spending target of 5 per cent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2035.
Madrid secured an exemption allowing it to cap military spending at 2.1 per cent of its GDP instead of adopting the 5 per cent target. Spain is also among the alliance's lowest defence spenders as a share of GDP.
The comments mark the latest in Trump's repeated criticism of European allies over what he describes as insufficient contributions to collective defence.
Throughout his presidency, Trump has urged NATO members to increase military spending and has frequently accused several allies of relying disproportionately on the United States for security.
Trump has also repeatedly targeted Spain in recent months, particularly over differences in foreign policy.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was also among the few European leaders to publicly criticise the US military action against Iran, and his government's earlier decision to bar the use of US military facilities in southern Spain in support of the Iran strikes further strained ties with Washington.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Spain is smart to not cave in to Trump's pressure. NATO has always been about collective defense, not about forcing every member to spend 5% GDP on military. The US should focus on its own domestic issues instead of telling others how to run their affairs. Also, Spain's stand on Iran shows they have principles. Respect! 🇪🇸
Honestly, Spain is in a difficult position. They have public opinion against high defense spending, and Trump's bluntness only makes it harder for them to compromise. But calling a longstanding ally a "wasted cause" is just bad diplomacy. Even India, with its historical non-alignment, has managed to maintain ties with both US and Europe without such drama.
It's ironic that Trump criticizes Spain for not paying enough to NATO, while the US itself has withdrawn from international agreements and undermined global trade. The world needs multilateralism, not strongman tactics. Spain's response is dignified — they're saying "relations are excellent" without directly fueling the fire. That's diplomacy. 👏
Spain is right to stand its ground. The 5% GDP target is unrealistic even for many developed nations. And Trump's bullying approach reminds me of how some countries try to pressure India on trade. Good for Spain for not bowing down. Bilateral relations shouldn't be based on military spending alone. 😊
From a Western perspective, this looks like Trump being Trump. But from an Indian viewpoint, it's interesting to see how Europe handles US pressure. India has faced similar arm-twisting on defense deals and oil imports. Spain's calm response
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.