U.S. President Donald Trump threw a summit of NATO leaders into disarray on Wednesday as he demanded the United States cut trade ties with Spain and made renewed claims on Greenland, irking another NATO ally Denmark.
Speaking in the Turkish capital Ankara, Trump called Madrid a “terrible partner” in NATO as he railed against allies for not supporting the war on Iran and ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to halt all trade with Spain.
Trump’s remarks, also declaring the fragile 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 that have threatened to tear the military alliance apart.
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.
They also undercut the carefully crafted pre-summit messaging that European NATO countries had stepped up to the plate on military spending, which saw at least US$50 billion in defence initiatives unveiled on Tuesday.
Washington and Madrid have been at loggerheads, with Spain explicitly rejecting Trump’s demands for European countries to sharply increase military spending and pay for their own defense. Madrid’s Socialist leadership has also refused to let the U.S. use its airspace or bases on its territory for the Iran war.
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“Spain is a wasted cause. We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore,” Trump said. “By the way, I’d like to cut it off. Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don’t participate, they don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain. Cut off all trade with Spain, including visits.”
In response, the office of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said it was treating Trump’s statements as business as usual, adding that bilateral relations benefited both countries.
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia was more blunt.
“We are a sovereign, democratic country that defends multilateralism and peace,” she said on X. “What’s terrible is confusing diplomacy with bullying.”
Asked about Trump’s remarks, a NATO diplomat said: “The answer to every question POTUS raises is clear: build a more European NATO. That’s what we’re doing in Ankara.”
U.S. launches fresh strikes
The U.S. has unleashed new military strikes on Iran and revoked a license allowing Iran to sell oil in response to attacks on three tankers. It was the latest blow to a fragile ceasefire agreement in a war that is deeply unpopular in Europe.
“It’s a very interesting question. To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them,” Trump said when asked whether the interim accord with Iran that envisaged hammering out a long-term peace deal by mid-August was over. “They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people.”
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them,” he said.
Rutte defended the new U.S. strikes and played down Trump’s disappointment with allies over the Iran war as “isolated cases.”
“I think what you did last night was absolutely necessary. It was a very strong response,” Rutte told Trump. “When you have a ceasefire and Iran is basically violating the ceasefire, I think it is totally crucial that the U.S. forcefully react.”
He also praised Trump for making European countries raise their game on defense spending.
“It’s really important when it comes to NATO, what you have achieved, and this is a huge win,” he said.
Trump has accused European nations of failing to let U.S. forces use their airspace and bases on their territories during the war.
European officials have said they largely honored their commitments to U.S. forces, despite not having been consulted about a conflict that roiled their economies.
Trump also demanded that his country control Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, reviving an issue that has put severe strain on the alliance that has underpinned Western security since the start of the Cold War.
“Greenland is very important for the United States, but it’s not important for Denmark,” he said. “In fact, when Denmark was overrun by the Nazis in less than one day – Hitler beat them out in one day, took over – they asked us to take care of Greenland. In fact, we took Greenland, and then stupidly we gave it back.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reiterated that Greenland was not up for grabs.
“We are ready to defend every inch of NATO, including our own territory,” she said.
When are they going to get rid of Trump !
I just pushed button, sent 20 Nukes to Iran, Iran you’re fired!
Trump’s gonna take a dump in every liberal voters throat
Maybe our local BC Iranian community should have not let someone less fight their fight. Sums them up.
As . Col. Kilgore (Robert Duvall) said “ Bomb them into the stone age, son”
Keep up the great work Trump, don’t stop till all the woketurds are in the dirt
Trump is a looney toonie & not worth much more. He’s a tyrant and a war monger!!
Nuke iran off the face of the earth
Trump’s fixing this broken world
Sorry guys I’m just a Scarecrow without a brain but wizard Carney promised to help me if I spread misinformation.
Off the rails nut bar , best describes
DJT .
President taco and his family need to make more money from the markets
Ron Johnson – The US can’t even run their own country why the hell would Canada or Greenland hand their countries over to a lunatic like Trump?
Trump is pi**ed of with Spain because they won’t support his illegal war, good for Spain!
It’s time the world got together and change the regime in the U S one way or another. Trump is a direct threat to global peace, security, prosperity and human rights. Let’s not do 1938 over again. The world needs to act against this monster now.
Sustains the need to pivot away from america, to a mid-power Euro NATO. It does mean looking at how to replace american hardware. If Ukraine can do it, then it should not be too hard for the Euro-conglomerate to do. There will be “growing pains”, but they’ll be worth it to get independence from america.
The less influential america becomes, the less they be heeded.
@Gang Shoe Yeah, and not just Trump’s incompetence and stupidity. How bout corruption, grift, narcissism, senility? How anyone can still support this guy is beyond me. Only 2 more years… only 2 more years. Lets hope the midterms down there bring a little more sanity to the US gov’t.
Anyone calling for war… what is wrong with you? Yes, the regime in Iran is horrible, but that’s beside the point. Trump specifically ran on being the candidate of peace: “I am peace,” if you remember. And once again, he lied and its costing the common person, but he doesn’t care who he hurts.
Called it. The MOU was akin to an IOU written on toilet paper. Nice job Donnie. The JCPOA isn’t looking so bad these days, is it? Why would any sane nation support this current illegal war that Trump started?
What is Trump even doing? He has no strategy, no intelligence, no diplomacy, the list goes on. I would say that I can’t believe there are still people who like or trust this clown, but judging how ignorant people are these days, it’s sadly not that surprising. It ain’t “TDS” if its warranted due to Trump’s stupidity and incompetence.
He’s the schoolyard bully on the world stage right now. Spain should just just give Trump the finger and say fine with us. The US isn’t even one of Spain’s top business partners anyway.
And the rest of NATO seriously needs to stop kowtowing to Trump. Tell him to take off, like that one Danish politician did. Grow some backbone Europe.
Iran wants a nuke, give them 3, make sure they hit the government ports and oilfields
Let the middle east move out of the dark ages under Iran’s proxies
Dave
July 8, 2026 at 1:44 pm
Should have wiped Iran off the planet when they had the opportunity.
The jews too, and Trump with them!
Flip flop isn’t news, it’s just a daily cycle for him.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them,” he said.
Then stop yapping and finish the job.
Should have wiped Iran off the planet when they had the opportunity.
Time for Lord Trump to disappear permanently! His people need to help it along!!
Lol at the guys talking about the Crusades, as if that ancient history has any bearing on the modern world whatsoever.
why this rutte character even exist? what a waste of money.
Midterms, his loss our gain.
To Matthew:
“Ignorant Liberal, the Crusades were started by Muslim invaders and terrorists.”
The Crusades were started by Pope Urban 2 at the Council of Clermont in November 1095. The Muslims who took ‘the Holy Land’ treated Christians well and allowed their freedom to worship. The Crusaders were brutal and vicious killing everyone they could plus they also attacked any ‘Christian’ nation they could for profit.
Learn some history, your ignorance shows.
All the TDS demented circus monkeys are on site I see. Way to rile up the halfwits global. Keep the hate going
The same president who received the FIFA Peace Prize. FIFA and Trump a couple of ‘carpet baggers’ supported by weak minded fools.
(A carpetbagger is a derogatory term for an opportunistic outsider who exploits the local populace or situation for personal, financial, or political gain.)
Spain is actively undermining NATO. Their current leftist government is incompatible with good relations with most of its traditional allies. They deserve ostracism.
Spoken like a true spoiled brat. If it decided to invade Canada he would expect everyone to support the decision. Nobody should allow u.s. military to operate from their countries without a consensus decision from nato allies U.S. needs to reign in their Julius
Ignorant Liberal, the Crusades were started by Muslim invaders and terrorists.
They deserve every bomb dropped on them.
The world is paying for what? Higher inflation because oil still makes the world go round and not the rainbow farts of good intentions you support?
@Crusade- how’s Crusade 3 er, 4 doing? Pete and the Orange guy thought it would be a Venezuela war, quick in and out, eh? Now, the world is paying for the mess these MAGOTS created. Hell yeah, elbow up, you MAGOTS!
The true ‘Art of a Deal’ is knowing when to walk away. There can not be any deal with evil miscreants like Iran, Russia or China. And Spain is not even worth mentioning, they always play both sides…
im gonna say it i hate uke
@Try this. Respectfully, is standing up to Trump even possible? In this case, all countries must stand together against Trump and I don’t see that happening. The head of NATO for should also be speaking up and he’s just appeasing Trump.
The effect of this nut on the stock market is utterly predictable. The actions of this nut are totally not predictable.
Time for Rutte to do his job as leader of NATO to stand with NATO and not Trump. Imagine supporting and praising his bullying. – Congress and the courts have taken away his toys. The next meeting of NATO should have Trump barred for his statements and actions.
Is there no way this pos can be removed, any way at all? There is simply nothing anyone will do to be rid of this frigging war mongering, g*nocidal, p*dophilic, c*rrupt, dangerously insane, demented felon?
The USA is simply going to let this b*stard continue to threaten everyone, to cause death, to escape prosecution for crimes including war crimes and deaths of 100s if not 1000s of children? Media will continue to support and enable him even though the globe is calling for his demise.
This is far beyond absurd. It is far beyond anything I have ever seen in my 60 plus years on this planet.
Every US senator should be charged with aiding and abetting a war criminal. The senate should then be abolished!!
His whole regime should be in jail for treason! Trump should face a hang man’s noose or firing squad for the crimes he has committed.
This has absolutely become one of the biggest farces and criminal run of any president ever in the USA.
Greenland is soverign state. If we let the US take over Greenland, we are inviting them to do the same thing to others. I was born Canadian and will stay that way. We rank higher on world democracy and freedom indices for example. There is no better country than Canada!
For the proper defense of North America the USA needs to control Greenland and Canada. It may be unpopular but a Chinese occupation of those countries would be a disaster