EU Will Respond Firmly If Trump Imposes Additional Tariffs on Spain

Brussels - The European Union (EU) will respond "firmly and quickly" if US President Donald Trump imposes additional tariffs or discriminatory trade measures against Spain, said a spokesperson for the European Commission.

"If President Trump unfairly targets Spanish imports to the US with additional tariff treatment or other measures, it will be considered a very serious escalation, and you will see a firm and quick response from the EU side," he said, quoted by ANTARA from Anadolu, Friday, March 6.

The statement came after Trump threatened to impose a total trade embargo against Spain for refusing to grant the US military permission to use its bases in operations against Iran.

The spokesperson stressed that although the US statement so far is still limited to threats, any move to impose additional tariffs on Spanish goods will trigger a coordinated response from the EU.

He said the EU was trying to remain calm and coordinated in the face of repeated US threats.

According to him, previous experiences, including Trump's comments on countries that place troops in Greenland, show that a unified European response can be effective.

"We have a powerful tool. We don't have to use it, but if we have to, we will. That's our general approach to dealing with President Trump and this type of threat," he said.

On Saturday, the US and Israel launched a series of attacks on a number of targets in Iran, including in Tehran, which caused damage and civilian casualties. Iran then launched a retaliatory missile attack on Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East.