- Donald Trump instructed treasury secretary Scott Bessent to sever all economic ties between the U.S. and Spain, labelling the country a "wasted cause" and "a terrible partner in Nato" during a press conference at the military alliance's summit in Ankara, Turkey.
- Trump's directive stemmed from Spain's refusal to adopt the new Nato spending goal of 5 per cent of GDP by 2035, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez securing an exemption to cap his country's contribution at 2.1 per cent.
- The office of Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez quickly responded to Trump's comments, dismissing them as "business as usual" and affirming Spain's strong social, cultural, and economic ties with the U.S. would remain unchanged.
- This latest criticism follows a previous instance on June 24, where Trump rebuked European allies, including Spain, for declining to support his war against Iran, calling Spain a "horror show" and "terrible."
- Separately, Trump declared that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was over, stating he no longer wished to engage with Tehran, describing its leadership as "sick people" following new U.S. military strikes.
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