Newsinc24 Team 
As the conflict in West Asia widened, it has developed chinks between the US, Spain and the UK. Several European countries are silent against the US - Israel joint operation on Iran. US President Donald Trump is not happy with the UK and Spain leaders. Trump on Tuesday castigated one of the United States' closest allies, criticising the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for not initially permitting American warplanes to use UK bases to strike Iran. "This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with," Trump said at the White House, referencing Starmer's legendary World War Two predecessor.Trump said the historical relationship between the United States and Britain is "not like it used to be", amid a diplomatic bust-up over US-Israeli strikes on Iran. "The UK has been very, very uncooperative," he said whilst seated next to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House. "I'm not happy with the UK," he said. "It's taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land."
Trump threatened to impose a full U.S. trade embargo on Spain after the European and NATO ally refused to let the U.S. military use its bases for missions linked to strikes on Iran. “Spain has been terrible,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, adding that he had told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to “cut off all dealings” with Spain. “We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain,” he added.Trump again referenced Spain’s refusal to heed U.S. calls for all NATO members to spend 5% of their GDP on defence, and added: “Spain has absolutely nothing that we need.” “All business having to do with Spain, I have the right to stop it. Embargoes – do anything I want with it – and we may do that with Spain,” he said, again expressing his frustration with the Supreme Court’s ruling last month that his broadest global tariffs were illegal under a national emergencies law.
.@POTUS: "Some of the European nations have been helpful, and some haven't—and I'm very surprised. Germany's been great... Spain has been terrible. In fact, I told Scott to cut off all dealings with Spain."
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 3, 2026
"By the way, I'm not happy with the U.K. either." pic.twitter.com/Q9qtyDVDbx
The U.S. relocated 15 aircraft, including refuelling tankers, from the Rota and Moron military bases in southern Spain after the country’s Socialist leadership said it would not allow them to be used to attack Iran. The Spanish government responded in a statement that the U.S. must be mindful of the autonomy of private businesses, international law and bilateral trade agreements between the U.S. and the European Union. Madrid said it had the necessary resources to contain the potential impact of a trade embargo and support affected sectors, but said it would continue to push for free trade and economic cooperation with its partners. Spain is the world’s top exporter of olive oil and also sells auto parts, steel and chemicals to the United States, but is less vulnerable to Trump’s threats of economic punishment than other European nations.
