Spain’s latest move exposes chilling reality of Trump’s lasting damage on the world stage
Spain lands another shot.
Spain has officially withdrawn its ambassador to Israel, a move that’s definitely shaking up the diplomatic world following the US-Israel war on Iran and the genocide in Gaza, Palestine. This decision, formalized in the official state gazette on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, makes Spain one of the few European nations to take such a direct stance against the coordinated operations. Madrid’s embassy in Tel Aviv will now be led by a chargé d’affaires indefinitely.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been an outspoken critic of the situation, labeling the US-Israel actions against Iran as “unjustifiable” and declaring “no to the war.” According to Al Jazeera, he’s one of just a handful of left-wing leaders in Europe who have openly condemned these military operations.
Meanwhile, when asked by a reporter on Wednesday whether Spain was cooperating with the US, President Donald Trump stated bluntly, “No, they’re not,” adding, “I think they’re not cooperating at all.” The president went on to say that Spain has been “very bad” and “not good at all,” even suggesting, “We may cut off trade with Spain.”
Donald is really unhappy with Spain
The president also criticized Spain’s contribution to NATO, remarking, “I don’t know what Spain is doing. They’ve been very bad to NATO. They get protected, they don’t want to pay their fair share. And they’ve been that way for many years.” While he praised the Spanish people as “fantastic,” he clearly views the leadership as “not so good.”
Senator Lindsey Graham also weighed in on Wednesday, expressing his difficulty in “absorb[ing]” Spain’s decision to permanently recall its ambassador. He sees this as a potential betrayal of alliance principles, especially with joint operations happening.
Graham highlighted Spain’s NATO membership and the ongoing US-Israel actions against the Iranian regime, which he described as openly calling for the destruction of Israel and attacks against the West. He emphasized that, “The religious Nazi regime in Iran is the problem, not the Jewish State,” and expressed hope that Spain’s actions wouldn’t encourage what he called the “tyrannical, fanatical regime in Iran” to “hang on.”
This isn’t the first time Spain has shown its disapproval. The country has consistently condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, showing a clear pattern of concern. In October, Spain’s parliament even approved a permanent arms embargo on Israel, banning the sale of weapons, dual-use technology, and military equipment in response to the conflict.
Back in September, Madrid had recalled its ambassador after Israel criticized Spain’s decision to block aircraft and ships carrying weapons to Israel from using its ports or airspace. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar had called that move antisemitic at the time.
Relations between the two countries have been rocky for a while now, especially since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and Israel’s continuing genocide in Palestine. Israel itself had downgraded its diplomatic presence in Spain last May after Spain recognized a Palestinian state, also placing its embassy in Madrid under a chargé d’affaires. It seems like this latest move by Spain just ratchets up an already tense diplomatic rift even further.
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