Spain has agreed to cooperate with the US military following threats from President Donald Trump to cut trade, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday. “I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear. It is my understanding over the past several hours they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military,” she said at a briefing.
The announcement comes one day after Trump publicly slammed Spain for refusing to allow U.S. aircraft to use jointly operated naval and air bases in southern Spain for strikes against Iran. Speaking Tuesday in the Oval Office with German Chancellor Olaf Merz, Trump said, “Some of the European nations have been helpful and some haven't. Germany has been great. He's been terrific… But some of the European, like Spain, has been terrible. In fact, I told Scott [Bessent] to cut off all dealings with Spain.”
Trump also talked about Spain’s military base restrictions directly: “And now Spain actually said that we can't use their bases. And that's all right. We don't want to do it. We could use their bases if we want. We could just fly in and use it. Nobody is going to tell us not to use it. But they were unfriendly. Spain has absolutely nothing that we need other than great people. They have great people. But they don't have great leadership… So we're going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don't want anything to do with Spain.”
Spain’s top officials have rejected any US cooperation. Deputy Prime Minister Maria Jesus Montero declared Wednesday, “Spain will not be vassals to another country,” while Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the US and Israeli strikes on Iran “an unjustified” and “dangerous military intervention” outside international law. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told media that US forces were not using Spanish bases for the offensive, and any operations would remain consistent with the United Nations and existing agreements.
The bases in question include Rota naval base and Moron airbase, both operated under joint-use agreements but remaining under Spanish sovereignty. Albares said that Spain would not authorize their use beyond the agreed terms.
Trump also criticized the United Kingdom over access to Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford, saying delays caused logistical difficulties for US operations. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer initially cited international law in denying strikes from Diego Garcia. He later backtracked and said that the permission was granted for limited defensive purposes. Trump accused Starmer of potentially pandering to Islamic voters in the UK after the initial rejection.
The announcement comes one day after Trump publicly slammed Spain for refusing to allow U.S. aircraft to use jointly operated naval and air bases in southern Spain for strikes against Iran. Speaking Tuesday in the Oval Office with German Chancellor Olaf Merz, Trump said, “Some of the European nations have been helpful and some haven't. Germany has been great. He's been terrific… But some of the European, like Spain, has been terrible. In fact, I told Scott [Bessent] to cut off all dealings with Spain.”
Trump also talked about Spain’s military base restrictions directly: “And now Spain actually said that we can't use their bases. And that's all right. We don't want to do it. We could use their bases if we want. We could just fly in and use it. Nobody is going to tell us not to use it. But they were unfriendly. Spain has absolutely nothing that we need other than great people. They have great people. But they don't have great leadership… So we're going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don't want anything to do with Spain.”
Spain’s top officials have rejected any US cooperation. Deputy Prime Minister Maria Jesus Montero declared Wednesday, “Spain will not be vassals to another country,” while Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the US and Israeli strikes on Iran “an unjustified” and “dangerous military intervention” outside international law. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told media that US forces were not using Spanish bases for the offensive, and any operations would remain consistent with the United Nations and existing agreements.
The bases in question include Rota naval base and Moron airbase, both operated under joint-use agreements but remaining under Spanish sovereignty. Albares said that Spain would not authorize their use beyond the agreed terms.
Trump also criticized the United Kingdom over access to Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford, saying delays caused logistical difficulties for US operations. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer initially cited international law in denying strikes from Diego Garcia. He later backtracked and said that the permission was granted for limited defensive purposes. Trump accused Starmer of potentially pandering to Islamic voters in the UK after the initial rejection.
