White House Says Spain Has Agreed To Cooperate With US Military In Middle East, Madrid Denies

Last Updated:March 05, 2026, 05:51 IST

The Spainish government's denial came minutes after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that it agreed to 'cooperate with the US military'.

Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, a diplomatic dispute emerged between the United States and Spain on Wednesday after Washington claimed that Spain had agreed to cooperate with US operations. The disagreement began after the White House stated that Spain had agreed to support Washington by allowing US armed forces to use its bases for activities related to the situation in the region; however, the Spanish government quickly rejected the claim.

The conflicting statements are set to create a diplomatic rift between the two allies during a sensitive period in the Middle East.

White House spokesperson said that the Spanish government in Madrid had agreed to help the US in its operations in the Middle East. However, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares soon came out and outrightly denied the claim, clarifying Spain’s stance on the Middle East tensions.

“I can refute (the White House spokesperson)," Albares told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser, adding, “The position of the Spanish government regarding the war in the Middle East, the bombing of Iran and the use of our bases has not changed one iota."

The disagreement broke out on Tuesday when US President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off trade with Madrid, hours after the Spanish Prime Minister said that his government wouldn’t “be complicit in something that is bad for the world."

White House Press Secretary On Spain

Spain’s denial came minutes after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday (local time) said that it agreed to ‘cooperate with the US military. “I think they heard Trump’s message yesterday loud and clear. They have agreed to cooperate with the US military. The US military is coordinating with their counterparts in Spain," Leavitt had said.

“And it’s my understanding over the past several hours, they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military," Leavitt had said. “And so I know that the US military is coordinating with their counterparts in Spain."

Trump Threatens, Spain Criticises

Trump on Tuesday threatened Spain to “cut off all trade with Spain", a day after Albares said that his government wouldn’t allow the US to use jointly operated bases in southern Spain in any strikes not covered by the UN charter.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticised the US and Israel’s military actions in Iran on Wednesday, standing firm against trade threats from Washington and warning that the war in the Middle East risked “playing Russian roulette" with millions of lives.

“We are not going to be complicit in something that is bad for the world and is also contrary to our values and interests, just out of fear of reprisals from someone," Sánchez said in a nationally televised address.

News world White House Says Spain Has Agreed To Cooperate With US Military In Middle East, Madrid Denies

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