In brief
The US president initially threatened to cut all trade with Spain and called it a "horrible partner," then hours later praised its "generosity" after a defence payment request was met.
Allies limited their remarks to under five minutes in a session designed to placate Trump, who later said he felt "love in the air" and praised the unity.
Spain spent €10.6 billion on arms last year (32% of its defence budget), joined a satellite surveillance alliance, and signed contracts for Airbus military planes as part of €43 billion in agreements.
American officials say they will obstruct any corporate deal between General Dynamics' Spanish unit and Indra while Sánchez remains in power, despite recent reconciliation talks.
- 9 JulPrivate NATO session: allies present defence contributions in under five minutes each, aimed at placating Trump.
- 9 JulTrump reverses course, saying Spain 'redeemed itself' and was 'very generous' after an important payment request.
- 9 JulOn Air Force One, Trump tells reporters: 'There was great unity... Spain was very generous today.'
Trump's mercurial stance on Spain
On Wednesday morning at the NATO summit in Ankara, Donald Trump launched an extraordinary attack on Spain, calling it "a lost cause" and "a horrible partner." He ordered his aides to cut all bilateral trade, including visits, and declared:
“I don't want to have anything to do with Spain... cut all trade with Spain, please, including visits.”
“Spain was very generous today... they agreed to an important payment request, and if they hadn't, we wouldn't even have talked to them.”
“Sincerely, I have no idea. Only he could explain it.”
From threats to praise: a timeline
The orchestrated charm offensive
NATO leaders carefully designed the summit to manage Trump's ego. Allies were instructed to keep their interventions under five minutes, and the setting was deliberately lavish. The Turkish host, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Secretary General Mark Rutte had spent a year planning the event to showcase the alliance's contributions and dissuade Trump from further disengagement. Trump later remarked:
“They told me: 'Sir, we love you very much.' They are adults saying that. Isn't it wonderful?”
Spain's defence spending surge
Behind the scenes, Spain has been ramping up its military expenditure. Last year the government dedicated €10.6 billion to arms purchases, representing 32% of total defence spending – nearly ten points higher than in 2017 and four times the amount under the last Mariano Rajoy government. At the forum, Spain joined the Alliance Persistent Surveillance from Space programme and agreed to joint purchases of Airbus military aircraft as part of €43 billion in announced contracts.
Corporate friction: US blocks defence tie-ups under Sánchez
US defence officials told ABC that Washington will hinder any corporate deal between the Spanish subsidiary of General Dynamics, Santa Bárbara Sistemas, and the Spanish company Indra while Pedro Sánchez remains prime minister.
“If at some point the option of buying a stake in the Spanish company is considered, why not, it will also have to be without Sánchez in power. Any other option now is completely unimaginable.”
Analysis: A mutually beneficial spectacle
International relations professor Pedro Rodríguez described the back-and-forth as a spectacle that serves both leaders.
“Trump has demonstrated he has an elephant's memory for vileness. This is a spectacle. Neither Pedro Sánchez nor Donald Trump wants to end it once and for all.”