When Donald Trump received Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House on Tuesday evening, the US president unleashed a tirade against Spain. He told reporters in the room that "Spain has been terrible," and that "we're going to cut off all trade" with the EU country.

The reason is that Spain has opposed strikes on Iran from the very beginning and has expressed this view with greater vehemence than other any other European country.

While Merz referred to US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran as a legal "dilemma," Spanish Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the attacks as a massive breach of international law. His government then banned the US from using the two jointly operated military bases in Andalusia, southern Spain, to wage war on Iran.

Sanchez published a video message not long after Trump's outburst doubling down on his anti-war stance, telling viewers that "we say no to the violation of international law, which protects us all, especially civilians."

He added that anyone who acts like the US plays "Russian roulette with the fate of millions of people."

Spanish PM has public's backing

The prime minister's strong words seem to have struck a chord with many of his compatriots.

"I think our government is only being consistent in its foreign policy — we should not simply submit to the US," Gladys Gbegnedji, a project manager from Madrid, told DW.

Francisco Huesa, a teacher from Sevilla, similarly supports his government. He told DW he does not fear negative consequences that could result from this falling out.

"How can it be that European countries that call themselves democratic simply support attacks that violate international law?" Huesa asked in an interview with DW.

He also expressed great disappointment with Germany's role in the current conflict.

Huesa and many other Spaniards who watched Trump's tirade could not help noticing that his guest, Chancellor Merz, did not speak up to defend Spain at any point. On the contrary: Merz assured Trump that Spain would be persuaded to provide more funds for NATOin the future. It was only after the meeting that Merz told journalists the European Union would react to any punitive US measures against Spain.

This prompted Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares to criticize the German leader, saying: "While we have been in government, we have seen three German chancellors: Merkel, Scholz and now Merz — and under Merkel and Scholz, there was a distinctly pro-European spirit."

Will the war create a rift in Europe?

While Spanish political scientist Rafael Calduch Cervera is concerned that the Iran war is deepening divisions within the European Union, he is also critical of Prime Minister Sanchez. The Spanish leader, Cervera says, finds himself under domestic pressure from his left-wing coalition partners, which is why he now resorts to such outspoken foreign policy rhetoric. Cervera says this rhetoric is really aimed at the Spanish populace back home, but has also needlessly maneuvered Spain into an awkward place on the global stage.

Cervera does not foresee a severing of economic ties between Spain and the US, despite Trump's threats.

"Trade policy is the responsibility of the EU and not a matter of national governments," Cervera told DW.

Any punitive measures would consequently provoke European countermeasures, he said, which the US certainly knows. 

This is why Cervera regards Trump's threats against Spain as a "serious warning," but does not expect to see relations deteriorate further.

This article was translated from German