Trump calls Spain a ‘loser’ and warns the United States will not be a ‘team player’

U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out again at Spain on Thursday. He did so 48 hours after accusing the NATO ally and European Union member of being a “terrible” partner and threatening it with a trade “embargo” for not allowing the use of the shared-use bases of Morón Air Base and Naval Station Rota for his war in Iran.

Trump spoke by phone with New York Post on Thursday. In that conversation he called Spain a “loser” and said that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, should support the U.S. campaign against Iran “without question.” “We have a lot of winners, but Spain is a loser, and UK has been very disappointing,” Trump said in a phone interview with The Post. “[Spain is] very hostile to NATO.”

Trump was referring to a longstanding dispute with Madrid. “They don’t pay their — they’re the only one that voted against the 5% payment, and they’re very hostile to everyone,” he said, referring to alliance members’ commitment to contribute 5% of their GDP to defense. “Not a team player, and we’re not going to be a team player with Spain either.”

On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Washington press that Spain had agreed to cooperate with the U.S. military. But Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares “categorically” denied this a radio interview. The issue is pushing the bilateral relationship between the two countries into uncharted territory.

“The Spanish government’s position on the war in the Middle East, the bombings in Iran, and the use of our bases has not changed one iota,” Albares said in an interview with the Spanish radio network Cadena SER.

Trump’s statements to the Post suggest that the alleged cooperation—mentioned by the White House in an attempt to tone down the situation, and later denied by Moncloa—has not been enough to appease the volatile President of the United States.

“No to war”

Spain’s position had been summarized by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez that morning in an official statement:“No to war.” Albares said that he has “no idea” what Leavitt was referring to. “There is a bilateral agreement, and outside the framework of that bilateral agreement there will be no use of Spanish sovereign bases. Any operation must take place within the framework of the United Nations,” he added.

Trump also spoke to the New York Post about Starmer, another ally he has sparred with this week over the war that Washington has launched jointly with Israel.

When asked if he privately referred to him as a “loser,” Trump repeated a line he has used before: “Well, he’s not Winston Churchill, let’s put it that way.” “It was very disappointing — his performance, having to do with our tremendous attack on a hostile nation,” Trump said, referring to Iran. “He should be giving us, without question or hesitation, things like bases where we can use others.”

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