U.S. President Donald Trump threw a summit of NATO leaders into disarray on Wednesday as he demanded the US cut trade ties with Spain and made renewed claims on Greenland, irking one other NATO ally Denmark.<\/p>\n
Speaking within the Turkish capital Ankara, Trump called Madrid a \u201cterrible partner\u201d in NATO as he railed against allies for not supporting the war on Iran and ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to\u00a0halt all trade with Spain.<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s remarks, also declaring the delicate ceasefire with Iran to be over,, overshadowed a summit that European leaders had hoped would project unity and support for Ukraine and cap a series of rows which have threatened to tear the military alliance apart.<\/p>\n
Trump spoke alongside NATO Secretary Mark Rutte, who has assiduously tried to assuage his concerns over defense spending, Iran and Greenland, while lavishing praise on the president for bringing such issues to the fore.<\/p>\n
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Additionally they undercut the fastidiously crafted pre-summit messaging that European NATO countries had stepped as much as the plate on military spending, which saw a minimum of US$50 billion in defence\u00a0 initiatives unveiled on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Washington and Madrid have been at loggerheads, with Spain explicitly rejecting Trump\u2019s demands for European countries to sharply increase military spending and pay for their very own defense. Madrid\u2019s Socialist leadership has also refused to let the U.S. use its airspace or bases on its territory for the Iran war.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpain is a wasted cause. We don\u2019t wish to do any trade business with Spain anymore,\u201d Trump said. \u201cBy the best way, I\u2019d wish to cut it off. Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don\u2019t participate, they don\u2019t pay. I don\u2019t want anything to do with Spain. Cut off all trade with Spain, including visits.\u201d<\/p>\n
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In response, the office of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said it was treating Trump\u2019s statements as business as usual, adding that bilateral relations benefited each countries.<\/p>\n
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia was more blunt.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re a sovereign, democratic country that defends multilateralism and peace,\u201d she said on X. \u201cWhat\u2019s terrible is confusing diplomacy with bullying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked about Trump\u2019s remarks, a NATO diplomat said: \u201cThe reply to each query POTUS raises is obvious: construct a more European NATO. That\u2019s what we\u2019re doing in Ankara.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n The U.S. has unleashed latest military strikes on Iran and revoked a license allowing Iran to sell oil in response to attacks on three tankers. It was the most recent blow to a fragile\u00a0ceasefire\u00a0agreement in a war that’s deeply unpopular in Europe.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a really interesting query. To me, I feel it\u2019s over. I don\u2019t wish to cope with them,\u201d Trump said when asked whether the interim accord with Iran that envisaged hammering out a long-term peace deal by mid-August was over. \u201cThey\u2019re scum. They\u2019re sick people. They\u2019re led by sick people.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tU.S. launches fresh strikes\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n