By Aislinn Laing and David Latona
MADRID, July 9 (Reuters) - Madrid said on Thursday U.S. President Donald Trump had softened his rhetoric on Spain, hours after threatening to halt trade with the NATO ally, because he had been made aware of a surge in Madrid's contributions to the alliance in recent years.
At a NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday, Trump called Spain a "terrible partner" and ordered an immediate halt to all trade with the country after disputes over defence spending and the Iran war.
On his way back to the United States after the summit, he told reporters aboard Air Force One: "I did have issues, and I still do. But Spain, they came back all the way today. Spain was very generous today."
Asked what Spain had done, he said: "They honoured a request for lots of payments, and if they didn't, we wouldn't have even talked to them."
MADRID, July 9 (Reuters) - Madrid said on Thursday U.S. President Donald Trump had softened his rhetoric on Spain, hours after threatening to halt trade with the NATO ally, because he had been made aware of a surge in Madrid's contributions to the alliance in recent years.
At a NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday, Trump called Spain a "terrible partner" and ordered an immediate halt to all trade with the country after disputes over defence spending and the Iran war.
On his way back to the United States after the summit, he told reporters aboard Air Force One: "I did have issues, and I still do. But Spain, they came back all the way today. Spain was very generous today."
Asked what Spain had done, he said: "They honoured a request for lots of payments, and if they didn't, we wouldn't have even talked to them."
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