The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, once again criticized the military actions of the US and Israel in Iran, standing firm this Wednesday in the face of Washington’s trade threats and warning that the war in the Middle East ran the risk of “playing Russian roulette” with millions of lives.
“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 for fear of retaliation from someone,” Sánchez said in a televised speech. President Donald Trump threatened Tuesday to end U.S. trade with Spain over Madrid’s refusal to allow the United States to use joint military bases in the country in its attacks against Iran. Sánchez, widely considered Europe’s last great progressive leader, has called the US and Israeli attacks on Iran an “unjustifiable” and “dangerous” military intervention.
It is unclear how Trump would cut off trade with Spain, which is a member of the European Union. The EU negotiates trade on behalf of its 27 member states. Asked in an interview with CNBC whether a trade embargo with Spain would be possible, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that “it would be a combined effort.”
He gave no further explanation but said Spain’s refusal to allow the United States to use its bases in the weekend attack on Iran put American lives at risk. “Anything that slows our ability to engage and prosecute this war as quickly and effectively puts American lives at risk,” Bessent said. “The Spanish put American lives at risk.”
On Wednesday, Sanchez expressed concern that attacks on Iran could lead to another costly military quagmire in the Middle East, similar to past U.S. interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. “In summary, the position of the Spanish government can be summarized in four words,” Sánchez said.
“No to war.” The EU said it would protect its interests and work to stabilize its trade relationship with the United States, with which it reached a trade deal last year after months of economic uncertainty over Trump’s tariff blitz. “We stand in full solidarity with all Member States and all their citizens and, through our common commercial policy, we are ready to act if necessary to safeguard the interests of the EU,” said European Commission spokesman Olof Gill.
After Spain denied US use of its bases, Trump said Tuesday that “we could use their base if we want,” referring to the Rota and Morón facilities in southern Spain that the United States and Spain share but which remain under Spanish command. “We could just fly up and use it,” Trump said.
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“No one is going to tell us not to use it, but it’s not necessary.” Tuesday’s threats from Washington were just the latest example of the US president threatening to impose tariffs or trade embargoes as punishment. Last month, the US Supreme Court struck down Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs, saying emergency powers do not allow the president to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs.
However, Trump maintains that the court allows him to impose large-scale embargoes on other nations of his choice. Spain has not had any direct contact with the United States since Trump’s criticism, Economy Minister Carlos Corpo said on Wednesday. “I want to send a message of calm,” Corpus told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.
“Beyond those comments (by Trump), there have been no further movements (by the United States).” Spain’s main business groups expressed concern about the trade threat, calling the United States a “key partner from an economic and political point of view.”
“We are confident that our commercial relations will ultimately not be affected in any way,” Spanish business chambers CEOE, CEPYME and ATA said on Tuesday. Last year, Spain’s central bank issued a report that concluded that Europe’s fourth-largest economy was relatively cushioned compared to the EU average when it came to exposure to Trump’s tariffs.
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Spain’s exports and imports with the US accounted for 4.4% of gross domestic product, the Bank of Spain said, while trade with the US for the EU as a whole was 10.1%. Exports of Spanish goods to the US accounted for 1% of Spain’s GDP, or 16 billion euros ($18.6 billion), the bank said, making it Spain’s sixth largest goods export market. Pharmaceutical products, olive oil, refined gas and electrical transformers are among Spain’s main exports to the US, according to the Economic Complexity Observatory.
Spain’s position on the Iran conflict is the latest flare-up in its relationship with the Trump administration. Sánchez was an outspoken critic of Israel’s war in Gaza and attracted Trump’s ire last year when Spain backed away from NATO’s commitment to increase its members’ defense spending to 5% of GDP. At the time, the Spanish government said it could meet its estimated defense needs by spending less (just 2.1% of GDP), a move that Trump roundly criticized and also threatened tariffs in response.
