Trump Threatens to Pull US Troops Out of 'Absolutely Horrible' Spain Over Iran War Dispute

"Absolutely Horrible" — Trump Turns on Spain

Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw US troops from Spain and impose a trade embargo, calling the country "absolutely horrible" in a White House press exchange on 1 May 2026. When asked whether he would pull American forces from European bases, Trump replied: "Yeah, probably… well, why shouldn't I? Italy has not been of any help to us, and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible." He added: "We may cut off trade with Spain."

The remarks came as the latest escalation in a deepening rift between Washington and Madrid over Spain's refusal to support the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran — a conflict that began on 28 February 2026 when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iranian territory.

How the Dispute Unfolded

Spain condemned the strikes from the outset. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez labelled them an "illegal war" and declared: "No to the breakdown of international law that protects us all. No to resolving conflicts with bombs. No to war."

The dispute quickly moved from rhetoric to concrete action:

• Early March 2026 — Spain formally refused the US use of the Naval Station Rota (Cádiz) and Morón Air Base (Sevilla) for offensive operations against Iran
• 11 March 2026 — Spain withdrew its ambassador from Israel
• 30 March 2026 — Spain closed its airspace to US aircraft involved in strikes against Iran; Defence Minister Margarita Robles described the conflict as "profoundly illegal and profoundly unjust"

The Spanish government's position has been consistent throughout. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated: "The Spanish government will not authorise the use of the bases for anything beyond the agreement or inconsistent with the United Nations." La Moncloa confirmed: "The position of the Spanish government regarding the war in the Middle East, the bombing of Iran and the use of our bases has not changed one iota."

What Is at Stake — The US Bases in Spain

The two US military installations in Spain are strategically significant:

Naval Station Rota (Cádiz) — In operation since 1953. Home to five US Navy destroyers forming a core component of European ballistic missile defence, with a sixth destroyer due to join in autumn 2026. Approximately 4,000 US military personnel are based there. The station provides rapid response capability to the Eastern Mediterranean, Red Sea and Persian Gulf.

Morón Air Base (Sevilla) — Also established under 1953 US-Spain agreements. Home to the US Africa Command's Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force for crisis response across Africa, with approximately 600 personnel on a day-to-day basis and capacity for up to 3,000.

More than 3,800 US active-duty personnel are permanently stationed in Spain.

Could Trump Actually Pull Out?

Military and strategic analysts have urged caution about taking the threats at face value. Jan van Tol, a retired Navy captain at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, described the destroyers at Rota as "critical in the air and missile defence of Israel and operations in the Red Sea" and said US facilities in Spain would be "hard, expensive and slow to replace."

Yago Rodriguez, director of The Political Room in Madrid, argued that a US decision to leave Rota and Morón would only be conceivable if America accepted "that it will cease to be a global power" — adding that the risk of rupture is "probably the greatest in the history of Spanish-American relations."

Legally, the bilateral defence agreement requires six months' formal notice before renewal, up to 12 months of negotiations, and at least another year for full military withdrawal — meaning an immediate pullout is not possible even if Trump were to initiate the process today.

Spain as the European Outlier

Spain's stance has made it the most vocal dissenter among major European nations. While the UK, France and Germany all moved — at varying speeds — toward allowing base access or expressing support for the US-Israeli campaign, Spain held firm. A poll of 2,000 Spanish respondents found that 81% named Trump the biggest threat to global peace, ranking him above both Putin (79.3%) and Netanyahu (71.2%).

For the estimated 400,000 British expats and hundreds of thousands of other non-Spanish residents living in Spain, the dispute serves as a reminder that the country they have made their home occupies an increasingly independent and assertive position on the world stage — one that is unlikely to shift under the current government.

This article is based on reporting from The Olive Press, published May 1, 2026.