Bases in Andalucía at Rota and Morón at centre of row with USA
The two bases involved are the Rota naval base, near Cadiz, which also hosts aircraft, and the Morón de la Frontera airbase in Seville province
SUR
Malaga.
Friday, 6 March 2026, 10:19
Spain's refusal to grant the United States permission to use jointly operated military bases in Andalucía is at the centre of Donald Trump's anger this week.
The two bases involved are the Rota naval base, near Cadiz, which also hosts aircraft, and the Morón de la Frontera airbase in Seville province. Both form part of a long-standing defence collaboration between the two countries.
The main consequence of Madrid denying authorisation has been the Pentagon's decision to relocate refuelling aircraft previously stationed at the bases to other European locations. At least 15 military planes, mostly KC-135 Stratotankers, have been withdrawn from the Rota and Morón bases and these have been transferred to a base in Germany, reports said.
At Rota, around 1,070 personnel work in maintenance and skilled and administrative roles. These employees are officially part of the Spanish ministry of defence but are seconded to the United States administration as civilian staff.
The base at Rota also has a shipyard run by Navantia, which continues maintenance on five US destroyers, providing employment for around 1,000 people.
Both Rota and Morón are formally Spanish bases with concessions to US forces.
