The EU’s executive branch has pledged to protect the EU’s commercial interests after US President Donald Trump threatened to sever trade ties with Spain following Madrid’s refusal to allow the US military use of its bases for operations against Iran.
On Wednesday, the European Commission confirmed it would ensure the full protection of the European Union’s interests after the White House signaled a possible halt in trade relations with Spain.
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The Commission expressed its backing after United States President Donald Trump criticized Madrid for declining US military facility access to support its operations in the Iranian region.
During a White House event on Tuesday, Trump labeled the Spanish government as «terrible».
“We will terminate all trade. We have no interest in dealings with Spain,” he declared.
In reply, EU Commission deputy chief spokesperson Olof Gill stated: “We offer full solidarity to all member states and their citizens and, via our common trade policy, are prepared to act if necessary to defend EU interests.”
Subsequently, Commission Vice President Stéphane Séjourné remarked that regarding trade policy, “Any threat directed at a member state inherently constitutes a threat to the EU as a whole.”
France has also expressed alignment with Brussels, with President Emmanuel Macron holding talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday “to affirm France’s European solidarity in reaction to recent economic pressure threats,” according to a source from the Élysée.
Trump made these statements in Washington in the presence of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who did not comment then but later emphasized his desire to prevent escalating friction.
Relations between Trump and Madrid had previously been strained, as Spain resisted the US president’s demand for NATO partners to raise defence budgets.
Sánchez wrote on X that he had also spoken with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, both of whom showed their support.
«NO TO WAR. Yes to trade, cooperation, and prosperity,» he posted.
The Commission’s reaction highlights that trade remains a primary EU competence, an area where tensions with Washington have been elevated since Trump’s return to power in 2025.
“Trade between the European Union and the United States is deeply intertwined and mutually advantageous,” Gill noted. “Preserving this relationship, especially during global disruptions, is crucial and benefits both parties.”
The EU-US trade agreement sealed last summer continues to be on hold after Members of the European Parliament suspended its enforcement following a US Supreme Court decision last February that ruled 2025 tariffs unlawful.
Despite unbalanced conditions – 15% US tariffs on EU products versus zero duties on US industrial goods within the EU – the Commission still considers the pact advantageous.