U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized Spain’s commitment to NATO, saying that the United States no longer wants to conduct trade with Madrid.
“Spain is a wasted cause. We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore,” the president said on July 8 during a summit of NATO leaders in Ankara, Turkey.
“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.”
The United States and Spain have been at loggerheads since Spain declined to join other NATO allies last year in pledging to increase defense spending. Relations were further strained when Madrid refused to let U.S. forces use its military bases or airspace during missions in the Iran war….