Madrid reaffirmed its refusal to allow U.S. Military access to Spanish bases for operations against Iran on Wednesday, even as the White House asserted that Spain had “agreed to cooperate with the U.S. Military” following weekend strikes on Iranian soil. The exchange underscored a growing rift between Washington and one of its key European allies, and triggered a direct threat of economic retaliation from President Donald Trump.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reiterated his government’s position of “no to the war” in a televised address, defending his stance as a matter of principle and international law. “We will not be complicit in something that is harmful to the world and contrary to our values and interests, simply out of fear of retaliation,” Sánchez stated.
Hours after Sánchez’s address, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed Spain had agreed to cooperate with the U.S. Military, offering no specifics on the nature of that cooperation. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares swiftly countered Leavitt’s statement, telling Cadena SER radio that Madrid’s position regarding the employ of its bases, and its overall stance on the conflict in the Middle East, “has not changed at all.”
The dispute follows Trump’s public rebuke of Spain on Tuesday, where he labeled the country a “terrible” ally and threatened to sever all trade ties in response to its refusal to grant access to its military facilities. “We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t seek anything to do with Spain,” Trump said during a White House meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Spain’s resistance to U.S. Policy extends beyond the current conflict. Sánchez has also been critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the U.S.-led operation in January that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He has also resisted joining NATO allies in committing to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, a key demand from Trump.
The U.S. Maintains two significant military installations in Spain: the Rota naval base and the Morón air base, both located in southern Spain. These bases operate under a 1953 agreement originally signed during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Spain, under then-Prime Minister José María Aznar, was a staunch supporter of the U.S.-led coalition and deployed troops to Iraq, a decision that sparked widespread protests and is widely believed to have contributed to the March 11, 2004, Madrid train bombings, which killed nearly 200 people.
Sánchez’s firm stance has garnered support from other European leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council chief Antonio Costa all publicly rallied around the Spanish Prime Minister on Wednesday. Costa stated on X, formerly Twitter, that “The EU will always ensure that the interests of its member states are fully protected.”
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian also commended Spain on X for its “responsible conduct in opposing the Zionist-American coalition’s flagrant human rights violations and military aggression against countries.”
While Trump’s threats to impose trade restrictions on Spain have raised concerns, analysts suggest their implementation could be complicated by Spain’s membership in the European Union, which allows for the free movement of goods between its 27 member states. “Trump’s words don’t always grow policy. We will have to see if he follows through, and how,” said Ángel Saz Carranza, director of the Esade Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics, a Spanish think tank.
Portugal, in contrast to Spain, has authorized the United States to “conditionally” use an airbase on the Azores archipelago for the Iran strikes, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro told parliament on Wednesday. The authorization is contingent on the operations being “defensive or retaliatory, are necessary and proportionate, and exclusively target military objectives,” Montenegro stated.
