WASHINGTON, March 4 - The White House said on Wednesday that Spain has agreed to cooperate with the U.S. military, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, following a public warning from President Donald Trump the previous day about potential trade consequences.
Speaking at a news briefing, Leavitt said: "I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear. It is my understanding over the past several hours they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military," describing the development as having occurred in the hours after the president's statement.
The president had signaled that he was considering a trade embargo on Madrid after Spain refused to permit U.S. aircraft to use jointly operated naval and air bases in southern Spain for an operation against Tehran. That refusal had prompted the White House warning the day before Leavitt's remarks.
Spanish leaders have been publicly critical of the strikes on Iran. Spain has denounced the U.S. and Israeli bombings as reckless and illegal, according to public statements from Madrid. Deputy Prime Minister Maria Jesus Montero said on Wednesday that Spain "will not be vassals" to another country.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in a televised address earlier, reiterated Spain’s anti-war stance and warned that the conflict risked triggering a major global disaster. His televised comments underscored the government's public position opposing the military actions.
Context and timeline
The sequence reported by the White House places Leavitt’s announcement one day after the president publicly floated trade measures aimed at Madrid in reaction to Spain's refusal to allow U.S. aircraft access to jointly operated bases. According to the White House statement, Spain then agreed to cooperate with U.S. military forces in the hours that followed.
Implications
Officials in Madrid have framed their stance as a principled opposition to the recent strikes on Iran and have spoken against becoming subordinate to another country, while U.S. officials have tied cooperation on base access to broader diplomatic and economic consequences.