Spain says US must respect international law after Trump threatens to cut trade ties

The Spanish government responded Tuesday to US President Donald Trump’s threat to “cut all trade” with Spain, saying any revision of commercial relations must respect international law and existing agreements.

The government said that if Washington seeks to review trade relations between the two countries, it “must do so while respecting the autonomy of private companies, international law, and the bilateral agreements between the European Union and the United States,” public broadcaster RTVE reported, citing a statement.

Trump described Spain as a “terrible” ally and criticised Madrid for what he called insufficient cooperation on US military bases amid an escalation in the Middle East.

The government rejected the criticism, stressing that Spain is “a key member of NATO” and fulfils its commitments while making a significant contribution to European territorial defence.

READ: Trump says he will sever trade with Spain in retaliation for base refusal

Madrid also underlined the country’s role as a major EU exporting power and a reliable trading partner with 195 countries, including the US, with which it maintains a “historic and mutually beneficial” trade relationship.

It added that it has the necessary resources to mitigate potential impacts, support affected sectors and diversify supply chains if needed.

The government reiterated that its position “is and will always be to work for free trade and economic cooperation between countries,” based on “mutual respect” and “compliance with international law.”

The Spanish government said Monday that the US has neither used nor intends to use Spanish military bases to carry out attacks against Iran.

READ: Spain says US has not used and will not use bases on its soil to strike Iran