ANKARA: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had ordered his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut off all trade with Spain, calling Madrid a "terrible partner" in NATO.
Trump was speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte ahead of an alliance summit in Ankara.
Washington and Madrid have been at loggerheads, with Spain explicitly rejecting Trump's demands for European countries to sharply increase military spending to pay for their own defence. "Spain is a wasted cause. We don't want to do any trade business with Spain anymore," Trump said.
"By the way, I'd like to cut it off. Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don't participate, they don't pay. I don't want anything to do with Spain. Cut off all trade with Spain, including visits."
In response, the office of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said it was treating Trump's statements as business as usual, adding that bilateral relations benefited both countries.