Government President Pedro Sánchez speaks at the official opening dinner of Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2026 held at the National Museum of Catalonia on March 1, 2026 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday doubled down on criticism of the US attack on Iran, describing the escalating conflict in the Middle East as a “disaster”.
His comments came after US President Donald Trump pledged to cut off trade with Madrid after the Spanish government blocked two jointly operated bases in the territory from being used for attacks.
“Spain has been terrible,” Trump said Tuesday at a White House press conference alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He added: “We are cutting off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”
“Great wars often begin with a series of events that spiral out of control due to miscalculations, technical failures or unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, we must learn from history and not play Russian roulette with the fate of millions of people,” Sanchez said in a televised address Wednesday morning, according to a translation by CNBC.
Sánchez drew a comparison to the invasion of Iraq in the early 2000s, warning that the country would “repeat the mistakes of the past,” and summarized the government’s position as “no to war.”
Spain’s socialist prime minister has emerged as one of the leading critics of the US and Israeli offensive against Iran among EU leaders.
President Trump’s recent comments follow his condemnation of Madrid’s refusal to meet NATO’s defense spending target of 5% of GDP.
spanish ibex 35 The index was trading 1.6% higher at around 12:41 p.m. London time (7:41 a.m. ET), reversing earlier losses amid U.S. trade concerns. Meanwhile, the pan-European Stoxx 600 index rose around 1.1%.
President Trump’s threat to punish Spain on trade will be difficult given that the 27 EU countries jointly negotiate trade agreements.
“It’s naive to believe that democracy and respect between nations can emerge from the ruins, or to think that blind, subservient obedience is a form of leadership. On the contrary, I believe that this position is leadership,” Sanchez said.
“We will not participate in something that is bad for the world or against our values and interests just because we fear retaliation from someone else,” he added.
Bessent: Spain is ‘putting American lives at risk’
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused the Spanish government of endangering American lives following the air base dispute.
“President Trump’s complaints against the Spanish government are valid because, first of all, they have been terrible actors. They are the only NATO member not meeting NATO’s requirements. This is known as a free rider,” Bessent told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Wednesday.
“And it was unacceptable that over the weekend the Spaniards were so uncooperative with U.S. military bases and what they could do with their aircraft as they began to carry out Operation Epic Fury,” Bessent said.
“Anything that slows down our ability to engage and wage this war in the most expeditious and effective manner puts American lives at risk. The Spaniards are putting American lives at risk,” he added.
The EU said it would ensure that member states’ interests were fully protected.
European Council President Antonio Costa said in a social media post that he spoke by phone with Spain’s Sánchez and expressed the EU’s “full solidarity” with Madrid.
“We reaffirm our firm commitment to the principles of international law and the rules-based order everywhere in the world,” Costa said.
—CNBC’s Charlotte Reid contributed to this report.
