Donald Trump says he will "cut off all trade with Spain, including visits" over Spain's NATO role

At the NATO summit on July 8, President Donald Trump threatened to halt all commerce and travel with Spain, calling the country a deficient ally that does not contribute enough to the alliance. Trade policy toward individual EU members is legally impossible because the European Union controls such matters, and a full embargo would harm American exporters since the U.S. holds a trade surplus with Spain. Within a day, Trump claimed Madrid had fully capitulated and would increase its contributions, though whether Spain actually made any concessions is disputed. The episode follows a recognizable pattern of maximal demands followed by declared victory and quiet retreat, occurring alongside broader U.S. tariff actions against Canada and other trading partners.