March 4, 2026, 10:31 p.mMarch 4, 2026, 10:31 p.m
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares doesn’t want to know anything about cooperation with the US military.Image: keystone
Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has denied a statement from the White House that the EU country now wants to work with the US military. “The position of the Spanish government regarding the war in the Middle East, the bombings of Iran and the use of our bases has not changed,” he said in an interview with Cadena Ser.
Shortly before, US government spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in Washington that Spain had agreed to cooperate. As far as she knows, the EU country has agreed to cooperate with the USA “in the last few hours,” she said. At the same time, Leavitt emphasized that US President Donald Trump expects all European allies to “work together on this long-awaited mission.” Albares, on the other hand, said he didn’t have “the slightest idea how she came up with that.”
The day before, Trump had harshly criticized the governments in Madrid and London at a meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). “Some European countries like Spain have behaved terribly,” he said, referring to the US attacks on Iran. “Spain actually said we can’t use their bases,” Trump complained.
“They were unfriendly.” And that’s why he instructed his finance minister Scott Bessent to stop “all deals” with Madrid. Which agreements Trump was referring to remained unclear at first. In front of the cameras in the White House, Merz did not respond to Trump’s attacks. Merz then explained that he had clearly expressed his opinion to Trump without the press being present. Madrid was subsequently annoyed by the CDU politician’s lack of support in public. (sda/dpa)