'Rewarding loyalists,' punishing critics: How Trump's Treasury sanctions foreigners

The Trump administration's Treasury Department has sanctioned foreign officials who criticized U.S. strikes against Iran or made statements against the U.S. or Israel, according to reporting that examined the pattern of enforcement. Spain's Prime Minister drew attention to this disparity after calling the Iran strikes "unjustified" without facing sanctions, while other foreign leaders faced Treasury penalties for similar rhetoric. The pattern suggests the administration may be using sanctions selectively based on political alignment rather than applying consistent policy standards.