Pentagon email exposes Donald Trump’s plan to punish NATO allies who refused to back Iran war, and Spain is first in the crosshairs

A confidential internal Pentagon email has outlined several policy options aimed at punishing NATO allies that did not support US military operations in the war with Iran. Spain is the first country in the crosshairs. According to a US official who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, one option in the email is suspending Spain from the alliance, a move that would carry symbolic weight but have little effect on actual US military operations.

According to Reuters, the email, which is said to be circulating at high levels in the Pentagon, expresses frustration at some allies’ refusal to grant the United States access, basing, and overflight rights, known as ABO, for the Iran war. The official described ABO as “just the absolute baseline for NATO,” suggesting these rights are non-negotiable. 

The email also proposes that the US should reconsider its diplomatic support for longstanding European territories. The Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas, are a British overseas territory in the south-west Atlantic Ocean, about 300 miles from mainland Argentina. The dispute over the islands dates back to the 1982 war between Argentina and the United Kingdom, and has remained unresolved since.

Suspending a NATO ally would set a dangerous and deeply damaging precedent for the alliance

Spain has refused to allow the use of its air bases for attacks on Iran. The US operates two military bases in Spain, Naval Station Rota and Morón Air Base, and the email suggests that suspending Spain from the alliance would serve as punishment for its lack of cooperation. 

President Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for not doing enough to support US operations and has hinted at the possibility of withdrawing from the alliance, though the email does not suggest closing US bases in Europe. However, the idea of suspending a NATO member is legally questionable.

A NATO official told the BBC that the organization’s founding treaty “does not foresee any provision for suspension of NATO membership, or expulsion.” This raises serious questions about whether the proposed measures are even possible. Trump has also been making headlines recently, with observers raising concerns about his behavior at public events.

Sven Biscop, a professor in European defense policy at Belgium’s Egmont Institute and Ghent University, warned that a public threat to suspend Spain from defensive support would be “gravely damaging” to the alliance and would further damage trust between Europe and the US. The proposal has sparked a wide debate among analysts and diplomats about what such a move would mean for NATO as a whole.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez dismissed the report, stating that Spain supports “full cooperation with its allies, but always within the framework of international law.” Meanwhile, the UK has also come under some scrutiny, with analysts suggesting its reluctance to join the US war with Iran has put it at odds with the Trump administration. On a separate note, Trump is also in the news for his planned appearance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

In a statement, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said the US will ensure that its allies “do their part” and are no longer a “paper tiger.” The exact nature of the proposed measures and their full implications for the alliance, however, remain unclear.