Trump endorses withdrawal of US bases from Spain and worsens crisis with Pedro Sánchez: “We don’t need those who don’t want us”
President Donald Trump publicly endorsed the proposal to withdraw US military bases from Spain (Rota and Morón), in response to the anti-Israeli and pro-Iranian shift by Pedro Sánchez’s government. In an interview on Fox News, Trump called Sánchez “a radical socialist who prefers terrorists to his allies” and stated that the US “doesn’t need bases in a country that doesn’t value our presence.” The statement intensifies the diplomatic crisis between Madrid and Washington, amid the Iran-Israel war and Sánchez’s pressure to recognize Palestine and condemn Israel.
- US President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed the idea of withdrawing US military bases from Spain (Rota and Morón), in a harsh statement that worsens the already tense relationship with the government of Pedro Sánchez. In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Trump called the Spanish president “a radical socialist who prefers terrorists to his allies” and stated that “if Spain doesn’t value our presence there, we don’t need bases there.” The statement comes in response to the Spanish government’s positions on the Iran-Israel conflict: recognition of the Palestinian state, vehement condemnation of Israel, abstention on resolutions against Hamas, and rapprochement with Iran and its proxies.
- Trump directly linked Sánchez’s stance to the security of the bases: “We have thousands of soldiers in Rota and Morón defending Europe and the free world. If Sánchez prefers to align himself with the ayatollahs and the Hamas terrorists, let them deal with it themselves.” Sources at the Pentagon and U.S. European Command (EUCOM) confirmed that internal studies have begun on the feasibility of relocating assets from Rota (a key naval base for submarines and destroyers) and Morón (an air logistics center for operations in Africa and the Middle East). Although no final decision has been made, the mere mention of Trump represents an unprecedented diplomatic blow and a clear message: the Trump Administration will not tolerate allies who "play both sides" with the Iran-Russia-China axis. In Madrid, the government reacted with indignation.
- Pedro Sánchez called an urgent press conference to describe Trump's words as an "intolerable interference in Spanish sovereignty" and "unacceptable blackmail." The Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, defended the situation, stating that "the bases are bilateral agreements and Spain decides its foreign policy without external pressure." Sources at Moncloa Palace privately admit that withdrawing from the bases would be "a strategic and economic disaster," as they generate thousands of jobs and millions in income for Cádiz and Seville. The opposition (PP and Vox) demanded immediate explanations and accused Sánchez of "having led Spain to international isolation due to his ideological obsession." Santiago Abascal (Vox) declared: “Sánchez has turned Spain into a pariah: he's losing the bases, he's losing Trump, he's losing credibility, and he's jeopardizing national security. He should resign now.” This episode adds to other tensions: the dismissal of the ambassador to Israel, celebrated by Hamas and the Houthis; Spain's support for South Africa in its complaint against Israel at The Hague; and the veto on arms sales to Tel Aviv.
- Analysts see Trump's statement as a warning that the current administration will not hesitate to use the bases as leverage to force a change of course in Spanish foreign policy. So far, the Pentagon has not confirmed any concrete withdrawal plans, but Trump's message has been clear: “America first, and whoever isn't with us, can fend for themselves.”
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