US President Donald Trump has launched an attack on two key European allies on Tuesday, expressing deep frustration with the United Kingdom for its refusal to join US-Israeli strikes on Iran and threatening to sever trade ties with Spain for denying American warplanes access to its military bases.
The dramatic escalation came during a White House meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as the conflict with Iran entered its fourth day.
US and Israeli forces have been conducting widespread strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“I’m not happy with the UK,” Trump said, turning his ire toward British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. While the UK has permitted US forces to use its bases for logistical purposes, it has stopped short of participating in offensive strikes against the Islamic Republic.
“It’s taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land. This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with,” Trump said, invoking the memory of the wartime British leader who was a staunch US ally, to draw a stark contrast with Starmer’s current approach.
The comments signaled a deep fracture in the “special relationship” between the US and UK, as Washington demands more tangible military backing for its campaign against Tehran.
‘Spain Has Been Terrible’
The president reserved even harsher words for Spain, whose left-wing coalition government has not only refused participation in the strikes but has blocked US planes from using Spanish bases for the operations. Spain has also been a vocal critic within NATO of failing to meet the alliance’s defense spending targets.
“Spain has been terrible,” Trump told reporters gathered in the Oval Office. “We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”
It remains unclear what mechanism the US would use to unilaterally “cut off” trade with a European Union member state, a move that would likely trigger a major transatlantic economic crisis and face significant legal and diplomatic hurdles. The threat underscores the administration’s willingness to use economic pressure to enforce alignment with its foreign policy objectives.
The president’s stance comes as the military situation in the Middle East intensifies. Drones and missiles have targeted Iranian oil facilities and US embassies in the Gulf region. Simultaneously, Israel has ramped up operations in Lebanon against the Tehran-backed Hezbollah militia, which has entered the fray.
Israel announced a “large-scale wave” of strikes on Tehran on Tuesday. Local media reported smoke rising over the capital, with government buildings and one of the city’s two airports reportedly hit.
In a social media post, Trump declared that Iran’s military capabilities were severely degraded. “Their air defence, air force, navy, and leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said: ‘Too late!'” he wrote, two days after initially signaling a willingness to negotiate.
Meanwhile, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva denied that his country had sought talks with the US, as diplomatic channels between Washington and its European allies appeared to be rapidly deteriorating.
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