President Seeks to Halt Trade with Spain
Published Friday, July 10, 2026
Following a recent NATO summit, President Trump reportedly directed administration officials to explore suspending trade with Spain after the country declined to commit to NATO's target of spending 5% of its gross domestic product on defense by 2035. It remains unclear whether any trade restrictions will ultimately be implemented or how they would interact with the broader U.S.-European Union trade relationship, which generally prevents individual member countries from being treated separately.
Spain is California's ninth-largest export market for agricultural products. Almonds, wine and pistachios account for approximately 95% of the state's agricultural exports to Spain, with USDA reporting nearly $2.5 billion in total U.S. agricultural exports to the country in 2025. While the administration could attempt to use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose trade restrictions, the legal authority and likelihood of such action remain uncertain.
Staff Contact: Matthew Viohl, mviohl@cfbf.com
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