Spain Defies Trump and Merz in NATO Standoff

An Atlantic Front Against Madrid

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to the White House on March 3, 2026, resulted in a diplomatically awkward moment for Spain: Merz publicly joined President Donald Trump's criticism of Pedro Sánchez's government, reproaching Madrid for being the only NATO member not committed to raising its defense spending to at least 3% or 3.5% of GDP. "We are trying to convince Spain to reach the 3% or 3.5% that we agreed on in NATO," Merz told the press. "Spain is the only one unwilling to accept it."

The Trigger: Rota and Morón Bases

The tension did not arise exclusively from the budgetary debate. On March 2, the Spanish government prohibited the U.S. armed forces from using the joint military bases of Rota and Morón for operations related to attacks against Iran. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares was emphatic: "We are not going to lend our bases for anything that is not in the Treaty or has a place in the UN Charter."

Trump's response was immediate and forceful. He called Spain a "terrible ally" and claimed to have ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to "cut off all trade" with Madrid. Bessent went a step further and accused the Spanish Executive of "endangering American lives." According to media outlets such as CNN en Español and the OPB agency, the United States has already begun moving tanker aircraft to German bases as a logistical alternative.

Defense Spending: An Unresolved Knot

Spain currently allocates around 1.3% of its GDP to defense, the lowest figure in the entire Atlantic Alliance. In June 2025, Sánchez's government negotiated an agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, which set a specific target for Spain of 2.1% of GDP, exempting it from the ambitious general target of 5% by 2035, approved at the Hague summit, according to France 24.

Merz, on the other hand, plans for Germany to reach 3.5% of GDP in military spending by 2030, after having reformed its Constitution to exclude defense spending from the debt brake. This disparity in ambition has exacerbated intra-European frictions.

Sánchez Does Not Yield: "We Are Not Afraid"

Far from yielding, the Prime Minister responded in unequivocal terms: "We are not going to be accomplices to something that is bad for the world for fear of reprisals from someone." The Executive also warned Washington that any trade disruption should respect the autonomy of private companies and the existing agreements between the European Union and the United States, which Brussels pledged to defend.

The Spanish position clashes, however, with a delicate budgetary situation: Sánchez's government sustains a minority coalition dependent on left-wing parties and regional nationalists who are wary of any significant increase in the defense budget.

Cracks in European Solidarity

The crisis also exposed tensions within Europe. Madrid reproached Berlin for its "lack of solidarity" after Merz's attitude, and Minister Albares conveyed his "surprise" to his German counterpart. Analysts warn that Trump's trade threats could materialize in punitive tariffs if Spain does not modify its position, which would jeopardize strategic exports such as the automotive sector and agri-food products.

The standoff between Madrid and Washington—with Berlin as an uncomfortable arbiter—illustrates the deep divisions that run through NATO at a time when pressure on European allies to assume more of the burden of collective defense has only intensified.