Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is getting blasted after taking an anti-American stance while hosting a gathering of left-wing leaders in Barcelona this weekend. It comes as tensions rise over NATO spending, Middle East policy, and ongoing domestic corruption investigations involving his family.
Sanchez has recently barred the United States from using Spanish military bases for refueling or operational support tied to military activity against Iran. He has also publicly opposed the US-Israeli campaign targeting Tehran, calling it unlawful while saying little about Iran’s internal crackdown on protesters and its missile and nuclear development programs.
A few days after the conflict involving Iran began, Sanchez stated, "We are not going to be complicit in something that is bad for the world and is also contrary to our values and interests, just out of fear of reprisals from someone," Sánchez said, using the slogan "No to the war," the Associated Press reported.
US President Donald Trump responded over the weekend, writing on Truth Social: "Has anybody looked at how badly the country of Spain is doing. Their financial numbers, despite contributing almost nothing to NATO and their military defense, are absolutely horrendous. Sad to watch!!!"
In March, Trump also said he had asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent "to cut off all dealings with Spain."
Sanchez’s critics argue his recent foreign policy posture is partly driven by political pressure at home. Conservative journalist Javier Negre said, "The stance of President Pedro Sánchez against President Donald Trump is neither improvised nor based on convictions. It is purely electoral marketing. He has realized that by confronting the most powerful president in the world and getting Trump to speak about him, he achieves two things: first, he positions himself in the media as the leading figure of the global left and globalism against the new right," according to Fox News.
Negre also said Sanchez’s approach "diverts attention from the corruption scandals that have led to investigations involving his wife and his brother and to the imprisonment of people close to him."
Those legal challenges intensified this week after a Madrid judge formally charged Sanchez’s wife, Begona Gomez, with corruption. The 39-page indictment follows a multi-year investigation into allegations including embezzlement and influence peddling. She denies wrongdoing, and Sanchez has said the case is politically motivated.
The complaint was filed by anti-corruption group Manos Limpias (Meaning "Clean Hands"). Separately, Sanchez’s brother has also faced influence-peddling allegations tied to a regional government appointment.
Sanchez, meanwhile, has maintained a strong stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict, recognizing a Palestinian state and restricting military cooperation with Israel. He has also called Israel a genocidal state, prompting criticism from opposition figures and officials abroad.
Public support for the prime minister has slipped in recent months, with a March YouGov poll showing 61 percent of Spaniards viewing him unfavorably.
Sanchez has recently barred the United States from using Spanish military bases for refueling or operational support tied to military activity against Iran. He has also publicly opposed the US-Israeli campaign targeting Tehran, calling it unlawful while saying little about Iran’s internal crackdown on protesters and its missile and nuclear development programs.
A few days after the conflict involving Iran began, Sanchez stated, "We are not going to be complicit in something that is bad for the world and is also contrary to our values and interests, just out of fear of reprisals from someone," Sánchez said, using the slogan "No to the war," the Associated Press reported.
US President Donald Trump responded over the weekend, writing on Truth Social: "Has anybody looked at how badly the country of Spain is doing. Their financial numbers, despite contributing almost nothing to NATO and their military defense, are absolutely horrendous. Sad to watch!!!"
In March, Trump also said he had asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent "to cut off all dealings with Spain."
Sanchez’s critics argue his recent foreign policy posture is partly driven by political pressure at home. Conservative journalist Javier Negre said, "The stance of President Pedro Sánchez against President Donald Trump is neither improvised nor based on convictions. It is purely electoral marketing. He has realized that by confronting the most powerful president in the world and getting Trump to speak about him, he achieves two things: first, he positions himself in the media as the leading figure of the global left and globalism against the new right," according to Fox News.
Negre also said Sanchez’s approach "diverts attention from the corruption scandals that have led to investigations involving his wife and his brother and to the imprisonment of people close to him."
Those legal challenges intensified this week after a Madrid judge formally charged Sanchez’s wife, Begona Gomez, with corruption. The 39-page indictment follows a multi-year investigation into allegations including embezzlement and influence peddling. She denies wrongdoing, and Sanchez has said the case is politically motivated.
The complaint was filed by anti-corruption group Manos Limpias (Meaning "Clean Hands"). Separately, Sanchez’s brother has also faced influence-peddling allegations tied to a regional government appointment.
Sanchez, meanwhile, has maintained a strong stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict, recognizing a Palestinian state and restricting military cooperation with Israel. He has also called Israel a genocidal state, prompting criticism from opposition figures and officials abroad.
Public support for the prime minister has slipped in recent months, with a March YouGov poll showing 61 percent of Spaniards viewing him unfavorably.
