EU to respond firmly if Trump imposes additional tariffs on Spain

Brussels – The European Union (EU) will give a ‘firm and swift’ response if US President Donald Trump imposes additional tariffs or discriminatory trade measures against Spain, a spokesperson for the European Commission said on Thursday (5 March). ‘If President Trump unfairly targets Spain’s imports into the US with added tariffs or other measures, that would be regarded as a very serious escalation, and you would see a firm and swift response from the EU,’ the spokesperson said. The statement follows Trump’s threat to impose a total trade embargo on Spain for refusing to allow the US military to use its bases in operations against Iran. The spokesperson stressed that although the US statement to date remains a threat, any move to impose additional tariffs on Spanish goods would trigger a coordinated EU response. In his view, past experiences, including Trump’s comments about countries hosting troops in Greenland, show that Europe’s united response can be effective. ‘We have powerful tools. We do not need to use them, but if we must, we will. That is our standard approach when facing President Trump and this type of threat,’ the spokesperson added. On Saturday, the US and Israel launched a series of attacks on several targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. Iran then launched a series of ballistic missile attacks in response at Israel and US military facilities in the region.