Trump vs Sanchez: Why Europeans should back Spain against US threats

The US has threatened Spain with a trade embargo for refusing it access to Spanish military bases. European leaders should use this moment to show they are capable of not bowing to Washington when it is against their interests

Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez has told US president Donald Trump something he is not used to hearing: no. By refusing America use of Spanish bases for its military operation in Iran, Sánchez has brought up more than just a war of words. Trump’s response to threaten a trade embargo with Spain has shown how far America will go to get what it wants—and is a test for how Europe reacts when pressure is applied to one of its own.

Spain’s move was a sovereign decision about how its territory is used in a military operation. Sánchez argued the US operation did not meet the necessary political or legal conditions, warning that America’s objectives were uncertain and risked destabilising an already volatile region. Britain likewise initially refused America the use of certain facilities, and has since limited it to defensive operations. Trump called the UK’s decision “shocking” and “very uncooperative”, reserving his stronger language for Spain which he labelled a “terrible” ally and a country America wants “nothing to do with”. A day later, US treasury secretary Scott Bessent added that Spain had “put American lives at risk”.

The Trump administration has already threatened EU member states with tariffs and sanctions to change the bloc’s trade and technology policies. Now, it is threatening to cut all economic relations with an EU member state to influence its security policy. This escalation risks establishing a precedent in which European governments face economic consequences for not aligning with US military actions. European leaders must see this coercion for what it is and respond collectively to defend the autonomy of the EU and its member states.

Don’t shoot the messenger

European governments and institutions should respond firmly and collectively. Threats against one EU member state should be treated as pressure against the bloc as a whole. Division in the face of Trump is dangerous.

1. Speak loudly and in unison

Various European leaders including France’s Emmanuel Macron, European Council president Antonio Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen have expressed their support for Spain. But a joint European statement would send a stronger signal of solidarity. This should underline why Europe is right not to get involved: a prolonged war, especially one without clear rationale, risks further destabilising the Middle East and undermining Europe’s own strategic interests. European leaders should therefore also call on the US and Israel to end the operation and seek a negotiated solution.

2. Use the Anti-Coercion Instrument

The European Commission should make clear that economic coercion against a member state would trigger the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument. The commission has already taken an initial step in this direction, stating that it stands with Spain and is ready to safeguard EU interests through its common trade policy while urging Washington to respect the existing EU-US trade deal.

This instrument was designed precisely for situations in which “a third country seeks to pressure the European Union or an EU Member State into making a particular choice by applying, or threatening to apply, measures affecting trade or investment”. Signalling a willingness to deploy it, supported by a qualified majority of member states, would send a powerful message of deterrence. It would become a test case for how the instrument could be applied in practice, strengthening the commission’s capacity to deploy it and signalling that it is not bluffing about enforcing it.

3. Make this a moment for political unity, again

The European Parliament should publicly back Madrid’s right to take sovereign foreign policy decisions consistent with international law. Parliamentary support would reinforce the message that the issue concerns the EU as a whole, not just Spain. It would also provide an opportunity to demonstrate cross-party solidarity and normalise parliamentary politics around a shared defence of member states’ autonomy.

European leaders must see this coercion for what it is and respond collectively to defend the autonomy of the EU and its member states

Even among European far-right parties lie coalitions of those who do not want to capitulate to Washington. This moment could push them towards a common EU position, forcing them to prioritise national sovereignty over alignment with the US. For die-hard Trumpians, this could drive a wedge between them and the more traditional national sovereigntists.

A unified European response has discouraged escalation from Trump before when he advanced the idea of acquiring Greenland. This helped discourage further pressure before the dispute escalated. Markets reacted swiftly then and would likely do so again here.

4. Hold the line

European governments should not amplify pressure on Spain or any other member state standing up to Trump. During a March 3rd Oval Office meeting with German chancellor Friedrich Merz in which Trump criticised Spain over its NATO contribution, Merz replied that Germany was working to persuade Spain to increase defence spending. Such remarks risk reinforcing a narrative in Washington rather than defending a fellow European government. While Merz later acknowledged in a press conference that economic retaliation against Spain would effectively target the EU, the moment to challenge Trump and signal European unity had passed.

A chance to change

Spain has long been among the more outspoken European critics of actions by the Trump administration, and it has the public support to do so. As of November 2025, just 10% of Spaniards saw the US as an ally to the EU—and that was before it threatened to invade Greenland. Though, while Spain may be a louder voice in criticising America’s foreign policy turn, every European country ECFR polled in November had a declining view of their transatlantic ally. Other European capitals can use the opportunity of Madrid’s outspoken criticism to question Trump’s decisions.

By attacking Iran, together with Israel, the Trump administration has embarked on a war of choice. The motivations and objectives of the attack on Iran remain unclear and ever-changing. What began as a strike now risks expanding into a prolonged conflict with significant economic and geopolitical consequences. Even if Europe stays out of it, these will be far reaching. Disruption to global trade through the Strait of Hormuz is already pushing up oil prices. Standing up to this war is the only clear option for Europe, or it risks getting dragged into another long, deadly conflict in the Middle East with no clear objective and no clear end in sight. European leaders should not just stand up to American coercion for Spain’s sake, but for their own too.

The European Council on Foreign Relations does not take collective positions. ECFR publications only represent the views of their individual authors.