Can Trump ‘Cut Off All Trade’ With Spain? Here’s What Experts Say

She argues that a trade embargo with Spain would be in direct conflict with the framework of this agreement, as it would single out a single member state.

Claussen, however, says that the Turnberry agreement is a political deal, not a legal one.

“We don’t have any legally-binding text, and even if we did, there’s nothing to stop the President from changing the terms, apart from the maintenance of the relationship [with the E.U.],” she notes.

The Administration has already undermined the agreement in many ways, experts tell TIME, citing the discord in February, when the bloc had to freeze the implementation of the agreement after Trump made additional tariff threats. 

Even if Trump has the legal authority, experts question whether an embargo could work in practice.

Demertzis points out that the European Union is designed to function as a single market, with no internal trade barriers.

“You cannot block trade with Spain, because Spain can still import from the U.S. via France,” she argues.