Spain Scolds Germany’s Merz Over Slight During Talks With Trump

Spain’s top diplomat accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of failing to show sufficient backing for a European Union partner when US President Donald Trump threatened to halt trade with the Iberian nation over its opposition to the war on Iran.

Merz was sitting alongside Trump in the White House on Tuesday when he made the threat and was asked about it by a reporter later in the televised meeting. The German leader didn’t address Spain’s stance on the Iran conflict but did repeat Trump’s criticism of the government in Madrid for rejecting NATO’s increased spending target, saying “Spain has to comply with that.”