President Donald Trump delivered a scathing rebuke of Spain’s socialist government on Wednesday following Madrid’s decision to block the United States from using joint military bases for ongoing operations against the Iranian regime.
The Spanish government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has refused to allow the United States to use the Rota and Morón airbases for offensive strikes against Iran. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said the country’s position has not changed “one iota” or “by a single comma,” insisting that the bases will only be used for missions consistent with the United Nations Charter. Because of the refusal, the U.S. military has been forced to reroute assets.
Speaking to reporters, Trump did not mince words about Sánchez, whose administration has moved to distance itself from the U.S.-Israeli coalition. Spain also just took the radical step of permanently withdrawing its ambassador to Israel.
President Trump characterized Spain’s lack of cooperation as a betrayal of NATO obligations.
“I think they’re not cooperating at all,” Trump said. “Spain, I think they’ve been very bad. Very bad. Not good at all.”
The president hinted at potential economic consequences, suggesting a cutoff of trade with the European nation. He also pointed to Spain’s long history of failing to meet its financial obligations to NATO while relying on American protection.
“They get protected. They don’t want to pay their fair share,” Trump noted, though he was careful to distinguish between Spain’s citizens and its leadership. “The people of Spain are fantastic. The leadership…not so good.”
.@POTUS: "I think they're not cooperating at all. Spain? I think they've been very bad, not good at all… they've been very bad to NATO. They get protected, they don't want to pay their fair share…the people of Spain are fantastic. The leadership, not so good." pic.twitter.com/oRRX3RrOnt
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 11, 2026
While criticizing European holdouts, Trump expressed pride in what he described as the effectiveness of the U.S. military’s campaign to neutralize 47 years of Iranian aggression, saying it has significantly degraded Tehran’s ability to project power in the region.
According to Trump, Iran’s navy has been effectively dismantled, with roughly 60 mine boats and most major vessels now “at the bottom of the sea.” He added that the Iranian air force has been neutralized and that radar and anti-aircraft systems have been completely destroyed. Trump noted that key regime leaders are “gone” and that Iran no longer has a functioning air defense apparatus.
.@POTUS on the Iranian regime: "They've inflicted 47 years worth of damage to the world — and now they're paying a big price." pic.twitter.com/6imbz0MvrW
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 11, 2026
.@POTUS: I just spoke with the leaders of various countries, and they said they've never seen anything like it. I built it during my first term, and I didn't realize I was going to use it this much, but we have the greatest military in the world by far — nobody close. pic.twitter.com/MoxqGG6IaY
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 11, 2026
“Our military is the best. It’s the most powerful in the world,” Trump said, adding that world leaders have expressed awe at the speed of the American operation. “We’ve done something that nobody ever thought was possible to do.”
When asked about the timeline for the operation’s end, Trump remained firm, stating that the United States would continue “more of the same” until the threat was eliminated. He warned that while the U.S. military has been precise, it has the capability to “take them out by this afternoon” in a way that would make it impossible for the country to be rebuilt.
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