Spain has firmly rejected claims from the White House that it agreed to cooperate with the United States military, describing the statement as completely untrue amid rising tensions between the two NATO allies over the war involving Iran
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had told reporters that Madrid softened its stance after President Donald Trump threatened to halt trade relations with Spain.
“I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear. It’s my understanding over the past several hours they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military, and the US military is coordinating with their counterparts in Spain,” she said.
However, Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, dismissed the assertion outright. “The spokeswoman may speak for the White House, but I am the foreign minister of Spain. I categorically deny it,” he stated, stressing that Spain’s stance regarding the use of its military bases and developments in the Middle East “has not changed one bit.”
“I have no desire or time to speculate. Our position remains absolutely unchanged,” Albares added.
Spain’s Prime Minister’s Office at Moncloa Palace also labelled the White House remarks as false. Sources within both the Prime Minister’s Office and the Defence Ministry dismissed any suggestion of renewed alignment or cooperation with Washington.
The diplomatic row followed Trump’s criticism of Spain for declining to allow US forces to use jointly operated naval and air bases in southern Spain for operations targeting Iran. During a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said, “Spain has been terrible. We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”
Trump further faulted Madrid for refusing to meet NATO’s proposed defence spending benchmark of five percent of GDP. “Everybody was enthusiastic about it – Germany, everybody – and Spain didn’t do it,” he said.
The exchange marks a sharp escalation in tensions between the two long-standing allies, as disagreements over military cooperation and defence commitments spill into public view.
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