Spain’s PM Responds to Trump’s Threats to ‘Cut Off’ Trade

[0:00] We are a reliable partner with the U.S., [0:03] even though, of course, we have these disagreements. [0:06] Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has found himself [0:09] in the crosshairs of the Trump administration. [0:11] The people of Spain are fantastic. [0:13] The leadership, not so good. [0:16] His vocal opposition to the conflict in Iran has sparked a sharp backlash. [0:20] We are not in the same scenario as in the illegal war in Iraq. [0:24] We are in something much worse. [0:27] With the White House threatening retribution. [0:29] We're going to cut off all trade with Spain. [0:31] We don't want anything to do with Spain. [0:32] You ready, Mr. Prime Minister? [0:34] Of course. [0:34] I sat down with Prime Minister Sánchez to discuss the deepening rift [0:38] between Spain and President Trump [0:39] and how it's testing the transatlantic alliance. [0:43] What would you say are the biggest consequences of the current tensions [0:47] between Washington and a lot of European capitals? [0:50] I do believe that there are more common values that we share [0:55] that we disagree upon. [0:58] So I think that it's important to bring [1:00] and build up a positive agenda between the U.S. and the European Union. [1:06] Second, it's difficult to understand how an ally could separate [1:14] its individual security concerns [1:20] vis-à-vis the common security reality that we provide within NATO [1:27] when it comes to Greenland and the Arctic. [1:29] Trump's insistence that the U.S. control Greenland has strained the NATO alliance. [1:34] Member states have viewed the demand for the island [1:37] as a direct threat to European sovereignty. [1:39] But it's been a battle on several fronts. [1:41] Trump has called out European allies [1:44] for not spending enough on their own defense. [1:46] Spain has resisted efforts to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, [1:51] the number Trump is demanding. [1:53] For the Spanish government, it makes no sense to commit [1:56] to spending 5% of the GDP on defense. [1:59] We had one laggard. It was Spain. [2:02] Maybe you should throw them out of NATO, frankly. [2:04] So you've become something of a... [2:06] a lightning rod for criticism from the Trump administration. [2:09] And at the same time, we've seen a growing number of Americans [2:12] choosing to move to Spain and make their lives here. [2:15] What do you make of that paradox? [2:17] You know, I belong to a progressive family, [2:23] a socialist party. [2:28] But I can tell you that over the last seven years, [2:32] what I've been trying to develop [2:36] when it comes to our... [2:38] bilateral relations [2:40] is to strengthen this bilateral relationship [2:42] between Spain and the U.S. [2:44] But it's also very important to keep in mind that, [2:47] you know, allies are like friends. [2:51] We can disagree, temporarily, [2:54] but it's important that we tell each other the truth, [2:57] no matter what. [2:59] That truth could come at a heavy price. [3:01] President Trump has threatened to stop trade with Spain [3:03] after Madrid said it wouldn't allow the U.S. [3:05] to use its bases for American strikes on Iran. [3:07] We could use their bases. [3:09] If we want, we could just fly in and use it. [3:11] Nobody's going to tell us not to use it, [3:13] but we don't have to. [3:14] But they were unfriendly, [3:16] and so I told him we don't want to... [3:20] Spain has absolutely nothing that we need [3:22] other than great people. [3:23] They have great people, [3:24] but they don't have great leadership. [3:26] It's unclear, though, how the Trump administration [3:28] would be able to shut off trade with one country in the EU [3:31] while staying open to the rest. [3:33] The White House has never specified what it would do, [3:35] and no official action has been taken. [3:37] Could the U.S. really do that to your country [3:39] and what would the impact be? [3:41] I think that the relationship between the U.S. and Spain [3:45] are closer than ever. [3:47] Americans love Spain, [3:49] and we want to have the best economic and political [3:55] and cultural relationship with the U.S. administration, [3:59] even though, of course, we have temporary disagreements, [4:02] for instance, when it comes to the fulfillment [4:07] of international law [4:08] and how do we solve different crises [4:12] that unfortunately are creating a lot of problems, [4:19] not only on the economic side, [4:21] but also on the humanitarian side [4:23] when it comes to these wars. [4:26] You've been quite blunt in your criticism [4:28] of the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran. [4:39] It's an act of cowardice and complicity. [4:42] Why have you chosen to be so outspoken on this issue? [4:45] Well, as I said, there's a moral dimension of this war, [4:48] or these wars, I would say, [4:50] because I think all of them are interconnected. [4:53] The Gaza war, of course, what is happening in Lebanon [4:59] and, of course, in Iran. [5:01] I do believe that there is a clear strategy [5:04] from Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government [5:07] to create a new geopolitical reality in the Middle East. [5:12] I don't know if the U.S. administration [5:15] is aligned with that vision or not. [5:17] We are very concerned about the situation in the Middle East [5:21] because, at the end of the day, [5:23] we suffer the instability, [5:25] we suffer, of course, the insecurity [5:28] and the economic impact of all these wars. [5:31] And that is why we are so engaged [5:33] and we are so vocal stating that we need to return [5:36] to diplomacy. [5:38] In my view, this war in Iran is a big mistake for the world [5:42] and, therefore, for the U.S. [5:45] Do you think that the U.S. and Europe share the same values? [5:48] Is there still a united West? [5:50] Well, I think actually that we share common values, [5:53] defending open markets, [5:55] defending multilateralism, [5:57] international order and democracy. [6:00] The transatlantic agenda is nowadays very weak [6:05] when it comes to trade, [6:07] when it comes to the respect of territorial integrity, [6:12] for instance, in the case of Greenland [6:14] and the Kingdom of Denmark, [6:16] and, of course, the situation in Ukraine. [6:19] Obviously, we've seen what Russia is doing there. [6:22] Certainly, a number of your counterparts [6:24] have expressed concern that this could develop [6:26] into a wider conflict on the continent. [6:29] Do you feel that Europe is prepared for that? [6:31] Is Spain prepared for that? [6:33] So, I do agree that this war in Ukraine [6:35] is not only about Ukraine, [6:37] but it's also about how Putin is trying to undermine [6:41] and weaken the European Union project. [6:45] Second, I think that there's a roadmap, [6:48] a clear roadmap when it comes to what are the duties [6:52] that the European Union should take and make. [6:55] And that means that we need to scale up [6:58] our defence industry, [7:00] that we need to strengthen our single market [7:03] and economic policies that could make Europe [7:06] more resilient towards these kind of shocks [7:10] in Ukraine or in the Middle East. [7:14] And do you think people in Spain and across Europe [7:17] more broadly are ready for the trade-offs [7:19] that that might require, [7:21] to be increasing spending on defence [7:23] and taking steps to make Europe more competitive? [7:26] Well, I think that we are ready. [7:31] There's a competitive agenda more linked [7:34] to the green transition, [7:37] to a digital union market, [7:40] to an energy union market, [7:42] to a social pillar that we need to strengthen [7:47] within the European Union. [7:49] That is what Spain stands for. [7:52] The paradox in Europe is that unfortunately [7:55] we have also other visions, other approaches [7:58] that are more linked to, let's say, deregulation [8:03] instead of harmonisation and simplification [8:06] of the regulatory framework in Europe. [8:10] I hope that we can have and reach an agreement [8:14] about the roadmap that we must follow [8:17] within the European Union to get that competitiveness [8:20] and to enhance our strategic autonomy [8:24] for the coming years.