Trump announced that due to Spain's refusal to open its military bases to the U.S., the United States will stop all trade with Spain. He also stated that the U.S. does not need permission at all - if willing, the U.S. military can directly fly in and use these bases without asking.

This incident originated from Spain's refusal to allow U.S. military use of its domestic military bases to participate in the strike against Iran, which immediately triggered a strong reaction from Trump. According to the latest news, both sides have not given way, and even involved deeper legal and sovereignty disputes.

Trump reacted strongly, not only criticizing Spain as a "bad ally," but also announcing that he has instructed the Treasury Secretary to "cut off all trade with Spain." The most controversial part was his statement: "We don't need any permission, we can just fly in and use it, no one can stop us." To prove his authority, he also cited a Supreme Court ruling, stating that he has the right to impose a comprehensive trade embargo on Spain.

Facing the threat, the Spanish government did not back down, directly addressing the U.S. that it must respect the bilateral agreement between the EU and the U.S. and international law. Foreign Minister Alvarez made a strong defense, stating that Spain's position is to defend the UN Charter, "not worried about any consequences." The Spanish government even said it is ready to cope with the impact and promote supply chain diversification.

In fact, it is not easy for Trump to cut off trade, because trade policy is controlled by the EU. The EU has come forward to support Spain, emphasizing "agreements are agreements" and will protect the interests of the EU. In addition, Trump brought up old grudges, criticizing Spain for not meeting the NATO target of 5% of GDP for military spending, to which Spain only promised to gradually increase to 2.1%.

Trump's actions are a typical example of hegemonic bullying. His idea of making America great again is a logical thinking of seeking absolute advantages and gaining greater hegemony.

Hegemony is not popular, so you can dominate for a while, but not permanently. Once the hegemony collapses, all the reckoning will come back to your doorstep.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1858690670856192/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself