Trump says he doesn’t want anything to do with Spain: ‘Cut off all trade’

President Donald Trump accused Spain of not contributing enough to NATO while attending the defense alliance summit in Türkiye.

“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, please, including visits,” he said at a press conference in Ankara with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

“Don’t even talk to them. They’re hopeless, bad people,” the president said. “There are a few more, but especially Spain,” he added.

This marks the latest development in Trump’s dispute with Spain over defense spending. It is the only member of the military alliance that has not pledged last year to spend 5 percent of GDP on defense by 2035.

According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Spain spent 2.1% of its GDP on defense in 2025, up from 1.4% in 2021, but still lags behind most European countries.

While sitting next to Trump, Rutte intervened and told the president: “You made Spain pay 2 percent. They spent, they took a big step last year.” Rutte added that there were still “issues we need to solve” regarding Spain.

CNBC has reached out to the Spanish government for comment.

While Spanish bonds, which were already on sale before the press conference, declined further after Trump’s comments, the yield of Spain’s 10-year benchmark bond was last traded at 3.5408%, with an increase of 7 basis points.

Spanish mountain goat 35 The stock index has also fallen and was last trading down more than 1%.

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