Media: Trump administration prepares embargo list targeting Spanish goods

The administration of US President Donald Trump is drawing up a list of Spanish products that could face an embargo after Trump instructed officials on July 9 to halt trade with Spain, POLITICO reports.

The Treasury Department will work with the US Trade Representative and the Commerce Department to provide Trump with “a menu of Spanish products that may be embargoed in the coming days,” a US official said in an email.

The move could jeopardise the trade agreement reached between the United States and the European Union last year, as Spain is one of the bloc’s 27 member states. The European Parliament recently approved legislation implementing the deal, which contains a provision allowing the EU to withdraw in the event of a breach of the arrangement known as the Turnberry Agreement.

“The process of putting tariffs on stuff from Spain is not that hard,” said Chad Bown, former chief economist at the State Department during the administration of former President Joe Biden. “What would this mean for the Turnberry Deal? I think it would be devastating for that … [it] would probably spell the end of that agreement.”

Trump made the call to cut trade ties with Spain on the morning of July 8 while attending the NATO Summit in Ankara, Türkiye. He cited Madrid’s refusal to support the alliance’s target requiring member states to allocate 5 percent of GDP to defence spending by 2035.

“I didn’t speak to Spain. Spain is a wasted cause. We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore,” Trump told reporters before turning to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and adding, “I’d like you to cut it off.”

The threat is not new. In March, Trump said he had directed Bessent to “cut off all dealings” with Madrid after Spain’s government refused to allow the United States to use jointly operated military bases for strikes against Iran.

At the time, both Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Trump had the legal authority to impose an embargo. However, despite indicating that they would prepare possible measures for the president’s consideration, neither agency ultimately moved forward with formal action.

By Jeyhun Aghazada