Trump demands end to trade with key US ally, calls it a 'wasted cause'

By Fox News · Fox News

President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday to end U.S. trade with Spain after criticizing the NATO ally for refusing to commit to the alliance's new defense spending target. Speaking during the NATO summit, Trump repeatedly singled out Spain, calling the country a "wasted cause" and urging an end to trade with one of America's European allies. "Spain is a wasted cause," Trump said. "We don't want to do any trade business with Spain anymore, by the way." Trump went further, saying, "Cut off all trade with Spain, please, including visits." MOST TRUMP SUPPORTERS STILL BACK NATO DESPITE YEARS OF TRUMP'S CRITICISM, NEW POLL FINDS The president's comments came after NATO leaders backed a new defense spending benchmark calling on allies to invest 5% of gross domestic product in defense and defense-related expenditures. Spain was the lone member of the alliance to publicly reject committing to the full target, instead negotiating flexibility in how it will meet NATO capability goals. Trump argued Spain has benefited from the alliance while failing to contribute its fair share. "They don't participate, they don't pay. I don't want anything to do with Spain," Trump said. He later added, "I don't want to do any more trade with him. All right? Take it immediately. Don't even talk to them." Trump also predicted Spain would eventually seek to restore trade ties with the United States. TRUMP'S PERSONAL FEUDS WITH ALLIES FROM ITALY TO ISRAEL REVEAL HOW PERSONALITY DRIVES HIS FOREIGN POLICY "They're hostile about it, and let's see how hostile they remain when they call up and they, 'Please, please, we want to trade with you, sir,'" Trump said. "They make so much money with us and we're going to see that they make a lot less. I want no business with them." The remarks represent an escalation of Trump's longstanding criticism of NATO allies that spend less on defense. Throughout both of his administrations, Trump has argued that countries failing to meet alliance spending commitment…