Archive · 20 Jul 2026
Trump and Sánchez meet at World Cup final
US President Donald Trump and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey.
This was their first public appearance together after nearly two years of strained diplomatic relations.
The tensions were mainly about Spain not spending enough on defense and not letting the US use its military bases for operations in Iran.
Recently, Spain has been trying to fix these issues by spending more on defense and joining a NATO mission in Finland.
Trump even said Spain had 'fully redeemed itself.'
At the World Cup final, Trump and Sánchez greeted each other in the VIP section.
Trump also caused a bit of a stir by not leaving the stage while Spain was celebrating their victory.
This meeting could be a step towards improving the relationship between the two countries.
US President Donald Trump and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey.
The meeting was their first public appearance together after nearly two years of strained diplomatic relations.
Tensions between the two countries were mainly about Spain's defense spending and the use of US military bases in Spain.
Spain has recently increased its defense spending and participated in a joint NATO mission in Finland to address US concerns.
Trump controversially refused to leave the stage while Spain celebrated their victory at the World Cup final.
- Who
- US President Donald Trump and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez
- What
- Meeting at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final
- When
- Sunday, before the World Cup final
- Where
- MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
- Why
- To potentially repair diplomatic ties after months of tensions
US Perspective
Spanish Perspective
Defense Spending
US Perspective
The US criticized Spain for not meeting NATO's 5% GDP defense spending target, considering it a failure in security cooperation.
Spanish Perspective
Spain has increased defense spending and participated in a joint NATO mission in Finland to address US concerns.
Military Base Usage
US Perspective
The US was frustrated by Spain's refusal to allow US military bases in Spain to be used for operations in Iran.
Spanish Perspective
Spain has its own security and diplomatic considerations, which influenced its decision on military base usage.
Diplomatic Relations
US Perspective
The US saw Spain's actions as a breach of partnership obligations, leading to strained relations.
Spanish Perspective
Spain sought to repair ties by increasing defense spending and participating in NATO missions, which was acknowledged by the US.
- Event
- 2026 FIFA World Cup final
- Location
- MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
- Participants
- US President Donald Trump, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Spain's King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Princesses Leonor and Sofía, FIFA President Gianni Infantino
- Main Tensions
- Defense spending, military base usage, security cooperation
- Recent Developments
- Spain increased defense spending and participated in a joint NATO mission in Finland
- Trump's Criticism
- Described Spain as 'a terrible partner' at the NATO summit
- Trump's Actions
- Refused to leave the stage while Spain celebrated their victory
- Diplomatic Implications
- Potential steps towards repairing diplomatic ties