Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez held firm in refusing his country’s involvement in the U.S. war with Iran and rebuffing President Donald Trump’s threat to cut off trade deals with them as punishment.
“The position of the Government of Spain can be summed up in three words,” Sánchez said during a televised address on March 4. “No to war.”
Sánchez’s criticism of the escalating conflict he describes as a “disaster” comes after Trump said on March 3 that the U.S. would halt trade deals with Spain after the European country refused to allow the U.S. military to use its bases for missions linked to the Iran strikes.
“Spain has been terrible. I told Scott (Bessent, the Treasury Secretary) to cut off all dealings with Spain,” Trump said during a White House bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”
Sánchez, a renowned socialist, has surfaced as a major critic of the U.S. and Israeli joint attacks against Iran.
During his televised address, Sánchez reaffirmed his stance that the world and Europe have been in similar situations before regarding the negative impacts of wars in Iraq nearly a quarter century ago, and currently in Ukraine, also in Gaza.
He said his government’s position is “clear and consistent.”
“Firstly, we reject the breach of international law that protects us all, especially the most vulnerable members, the civilian population,” said Sánchez, according to a translation of his address. “Secondly, we must not assume that the world can only solve its problems through conflict and bombs.
“And finally, we must not repeat the mistakes of the past,” Sanchez urged.
Later, Sánchez reiterated his stance in a post on X after his address, adding, “No to the illusion that we can solve the world’s problems with bombs.”
Sánchez’s stance has irked Trump, who further ridiculed the Spanish leader during his White House meeting with Merz on March 3.
“Spain said we can’t use their bases. We could use their bases if we wanted to. We could just fly in and use it. Nobody is going to tell us not to use it, but we don’t have to,” Trump said. “Spain has absolutely nothing we need, other than great people, but they don’t have great leadership.”
On March 4, Bessent, Trump’s treasury secretary, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that Spain put American lives at risk by not letting the United States use its bases.
“It was unacceptable over the weekend that the Spanish were highly uncooperative regarding the U.S. bases and what we could do with our planes as we began executing on Operation Epic Fury,” Bessent said. “Anything that slows down our ability to engage and prosecute this war in the fastest, most effective manner puts American lives at risk. The Spanish put American lives at risk.”
Later, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a March 4 briefing that Spain reversed course, but Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares denied that Spain had changed its position.
“I categorically deny it. As I was coming here, those statements reached me. I’ve had time to see and hear a bit of them. I categorically deny it,” Albares told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. “The position of the Spanish government regarding the war in the Middle East, the bombings in Iran, and the use of our bases has not changed one bit.”
Albares reiterated that Spain’s position had not changed, directly contradicting the White House.
“I am the foreign minister of the government of Spain, and I tell you that our position regarding the use of bases, the war in the Middle East, and the bombings related to Iran has not changed at all,” Albares concluded.
The White House did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment regarding Leavitt’s statement or Albares’ response.
Meanwhile, the European Union stated that it is behind Spain’s decision, despite Trump’s trade threats.
“The EU will always ensure that the interests of its member states are fully protected,” European Council President António Costa said in a March 4 post on X. “We reaffirm our firm commitment to the principles of international law and the rules-based order everywhere in the world.”
Contributing: Jane Mo, USA TODAY