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US President Donald Trump has launched another scathing attack on Spain at the NATO summit in Ankara this week.

 

His latest tirade centres once again on defence spending, with Spain refusing to sign up to NATO's target of putting 5% of GDP towards defence, and Trump's patience with the country appears to have run out completely. He's now told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to look at cutting off trade with Spain entirely, branding the country "a terrible ally".

 

Standing next to NATO chief Mark Rutte, Trump used the moment to vent about a string of grievances, from the alliance's approach to the Greenland dispute to what he sees as a lack of backing from allies during his military operation in Iran. Several countries came in for criticism, but Spain was singled out for particularly harsh treatment.

 

"I spoke with Germany, with France, with the United Kingdom... I didn't speak with Spain because it's a lost cause," he told reporters.

 

Nobody had actually asked him about Spain, yet Trump ploughed on regardless, with Rutte left simply listening as the attack unfolded.

 

"It's a terrible ally. They don't participate, they don't pay. I don't want anything to do with Spain, I don't even plan on visiting again," he said. Moments later, he turned directly to Bessent and instructed him to act "immediately" on drafting an order to halt trade with the country altogether.

 

There was little sign he was open to a change of heart either. Negotiating with Madrid didn't appear to be on the table and Trump seemed convinced Spain would eventually come cap in hand.

 

"Look at them, look how they come running back. They'll come running back," he said, before adding, "Do it immediately. I don't want anything to do with them, I don't even want to talk to them, they're a lost cause, bad people, because the rest of us are going to pay."

 

According to Trump, Spain isn't alone in falling short of the spending commitments agreed at last year's summit in The Hague, although he made clear it was the worst offender in his eyes.

 

"There are others," he said, "but Spain in particular is very open about this issue, they're hostile about it, so we'll see if they remain so hostile when they call us and say, 'Please, please, we want to trade with you.'"

 

He went further still, suggesting the country profits handsomely from its ties to the US and warning it would soon feel the difference without them.

 

"They'll see how much less they make," he said. He wrapped up the outburst on a lighter note, telling reporters, "I don't want anything to do with them, but other than that, we'll have a great meeting."

 

Image: The White House