Trump orders trade blockade against Spain, calls Iran deal 'over' during Ankara NATO summit
At the NATO summit in Ankara, President Trump ordered a complete halt to US trade with Spain, calling Madrid a 'terrible partner', and declared the interim ceasefire with Iran over as US forces launched new strikes overnight.
Tense NATO summit
On 8 July 2026, during the NATO summit in Ankara, US President Donald Trump made two significant announcements. Standing alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, he ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to immediately halt all trade with Spain, calling the country a 'terrible partner' in the alliance. Moments later, he declared the interim ceasefire with Iran dead.
I don't want any trade with them, clear? Take care of it immediately. Don't even talk to them. They're hopeless. They're bad people.
The Iran ceasefire collapses
Trump's remarks on Iran came after a night of renewed US strikes. American forces hit over 80 targets in Iran with precision munitions, responding to Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The 60-day truce, brokered by Pakistan, had already faltered when indirect talks in Qatar ended without progress last week.
I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them. They're scum. They're sick people. They're run by sick people. As far as I'm concerned, talking to them is just a waste of time.
Trump also accused Iranian leaders of killing 54,000 protesters and called them 'liars, cheats and sick people'. He added, 'They're like cancer, and you cut out cancer.' Iran immediately warned of a 'crushing' response and asserted that it would not permit any interference in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.
- Indirect US-Iran talks in Qatar end without progress.
- US launches new strikes on Iran, hitting over 80 targets.
- Trump orders halt to all trade with Spain and declares Iran ceasefire over.
- Spain responds calmly, noting trade agreements are EU-level and US runs a trade surplus.
- Iran warns of 'crushing' response, says it will not allow interference in Strait of Hormuz.
Spain's measured response
The Spanish government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, reacted calmly. Officials noted that trade agreements are negotiated at the European Union level, not bilaterally, and pointed out that the United States actually runs a trade surplus with Spain, exporting more than it imports. Spanish media highlighted that this surplus undermines Trump's claim that Spain is 'making so much money off us'.
Our country enjoys excellent social, cultural and economic relations with the US, and we do not intend to change that.
Spain has long been a target of Trump's ire. It is the only NATO member openly refusing to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP, insisting its current 2.1% level is sufficient. Madrid also denied Washington the use of its airspace and military bases for operations against Iran, a decision that infuriated the White House.
Underlying tensions
The US maintains two major bases in Spain, Naval Station Rota and Morón Air Base, under a pact dating back to 1953. Trump has previously threatened tariffs, a trade blockade, and even expulsion from NATO. The latest escalation marks the first time a US president has ordered a complete halt to trade with a NATO ally during a summit. The twin crises threaten to fracture NATO unity and escalate the conflict in the Middle East, with Iran's threat of a 'crushing' response raising fears of a wider war.
