Sánchez does not give in to Trump and the EU defends him

Madrid / BrusselsFar from backing down, Pedro Sánchez is standing up for himself. Afterwards from the threat of Donald Trump to cut off all international trade with Spain because of the decision to veto the use of the Rota and Morón bases Regarding the trade war with Iran, the Spanish government has reacted by challenging the US administration. Sources at La Moncloa (the Prime Minister's official residence) assert that Spain "has the necessary resources to contain potential impacts, assist sectors that may be affected [by the trade war], and diversify supply chains." They also take the opportunity to remind the United States that Spain is a "powerful exporter within the European Union and a reliable trading partner for 195 countries worldwide": "We have a historic and mutually beneficial trade relationship with the US." In this regard, the Spanish government issues a warning to the Trump administration: "If it wants to review the relationship, it will have to do so respecting the autonomy of private companies and international law," while also urging the United States to respect "bilateral agreements" with the European Union. Trump's message caught the Spanish government in the middle of a Senate question time session. None of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) ministers wished to make any statements upon leaving the session. "It's a serious and delicate matter," Spanish government sources have indicated amidst the hustle and bustle of microphones. However, far from tiptoeing around the issue, Spanish President Pedro Sánchez is scheduled to appear tomorrow, Wednesday, at 9 a.m. following the clash with the US administration to assess the latest developments in international politics. In other words, he intends to maintain a standoff with Donald Trump. This is not the first time he has done so: he was one of the EU's most forceful leaders in the face of US threats to Greenland, he rejected increasing military spending at Trump's request, and he spearheaded the recognition of the Palestinian state in the midst of the war with Israel.

Seeking confrontation with the American leader is part of the Moncloa Palace's strategy. For Spanish government strategists, politics is no longer structured along the traditional right-left ideological axis, but is now divided between the Democrats and a kind of "modern fascism" represented by Donald Trump—who is dragging the traditional right along with him—and who has rendered international rules meaningless. Sánchez wants to become the antithesis of this with two objectives: to be a leading figure beyond Spain's borders against the "global far right" and, domestically, to mobilize the left to prevent a future government formed by Vox and the PP, which appear more aligned with the United States. Therefore, Sánchez is no longer content with simply competing with Alberto Núñez Feijóo or Santiago Abascal; his ideological confrontation is now with Trump or with tech figures like Elon Musk (X) and Pavel Durov (Telegram), who have also clashed with him.

This Tuesday, at the press conference following the cabinet meeting, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares defended Spain's position, stating that it is based on the defense of international law and human rights. "We are consistent," Albares said. In fact, "consistency" is one of the terms that Moncloa repeats most often To define their international policy: they argue that what they do abroad must also be defensible in terms of domestic policy, something that is also profitable for them in their fight against the right and far right in Spain – they believe.

The opposition has criticized the Spanish government's position. "If Iran thanks you and the United States considers you a terrible ally, you've failed," said the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, on X, while the leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, after calling Sánchez a "traitor," said that the Spanish government "harms" the interests of ordinary citizens. The Spanish employers' association, in turn, has also demanded that the Moncloa Palace "re-educate" the situation and "work hand in hand" with the EU.

Brussels' response

Trump made the statements against Spain alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has aligned himself with the United States' position on Iran. In fact, Spain's position differs from that of the major European powers, who have supported the American administrationHowever, faced with Trump's threat of a trade war, the European Union has closed ranks with Sánchez. The European Commission has issued a statement assuring that it "will always ensure the full protection of the European Union's interests." Furthermore, the EU executive has again urged the White House to "comply" with the trade agreement signed by the EU and the US last summer. This agreement already favors Washington's interests: it entails a 15% increase in European imports from the United States, while tariffs on US exports to the bloc remain unchanged. Nevertheless, Brussels is increasingly skeptical of Trump's threats and has referred to the statement it issued last month when the White House threatened a further tariff increase of approximately 15%. Thus, EU sources warn that they do not intend to say anything further until they are certain that Trump is serious. It should be remembered that Trump has already warned on several occasions that he would impose trade sanctions on Spain, and he has not ended up carrying out any of those threats.