Tensions within NATO have escalated sharply due to disagreements regarding actions in the Strait of Hormuz. The US is contemplating rescinding allies’ prominent statuses and even reassessing territorial assertions.
Flags of the USA, NATO and the European Union / © TSN
The Trump administration is devising severe measures to coerce European partners who have declined to assist in the conflict with Iran. A confidential Pentagon communication hints at the potential removal of Spain from NATO and a political setback for the United Kingdom.
This information originates from a Reuters report citing undisclosed sources.
A private Pentagon message details possible U.S. actions in reaction to behaviors by NATO allies that Washington perceives as insufficient backing for U.S. initiatives in the conflict with Iran. The alternatives encompass removing Spain from the alliance and reconsidering the United States' stance on Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands, according to a U.S. official.
The source indicated that the document presents strategic choices that demonstrate dissatisfaction with the hesitance or unwillingness of certain allies to grant the US access, bases, and overflight authorizations — the so-called ABOs — to conduct the conflict with Iran.
The communication underscores that ABO is “simply the absolute necessity for NATO,” the official added, emphasizing that these proposals are under consideration at the highest echelons within the Pentagon.
Removing “problem” states from key positions in NATO
According to the informant, one option entails stripping “troublesome” states of significant or distinguished roles in NATO frameworks.
When queried about the feasibility of suspending a member nation from the Alliance, its representative responded that “the NATO founding treaty does not contain any provision for the suspension of membership.”
Trump has strongly denounced NATO allies for neglecting to contribute naval assets to facilitate passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and has voiced contemplation of withdrawing the United States from the alliance.
Nevertheless, as per the official, the communication itself does not allude to such a proposition. It also refrains from mentioning the closure of American military installations in Europe.
The official refrained from specifying whether the options incorporate a possible curtailment of the American military footprint in Europe, which is undergoing active discussion.
Commenting on the document, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson stated: “As President Trump has expressed, despite all the support the United States has extended to our NATO allies, their collaboration has been lacking.”
“The Department of Defense will equip the president with practical options to ensure our allies are no longer just a 'paper tiger' but rather honor their commitments. We refrain from commenting on internal deliberations on this subject matter,” Wilson added.
Spain's withdrawal from NATO
Analysts and diplomats suggest that the US-Israeli war against Iran has called into question the prospects of the Alliance and ignited unparalleled apprehensions that Washington might not come to the defense of its European counterparts in the event of an assault.
The United Kingdom, France and various other nations assert that participation in the US naval blockade would equate to de facto engagement in war, but they are amenable to facilitating the opening of the Strait of Hormuz following the attainment of a sustained ceasefire or the culmination of the conflict.
In parallel, representatives of the Trump administration underscore that NATO cannot function as a “unilateral arrangement.”
Spain is particularly dissatisfied, as Washington contends that it is failing to elevate defense expenditure to 5% of GDP, asserting that it can fulfill its obligations with fewer resources. Spain hosts two significant US military installations: the Rota Naval Base and the Morón Air Base.
Summarizing the document’s essence, the official conveyed that the policy actions delineated in the communication were conceived to dispatch a transparent message to NATO allies to “temper the sentiment of entitlement among Europeans.”
The communication accentuates that a scenario involving Spain’s departure from the Alliance would exert minimal impact on US military endeavors, but could engender a notable symbolic ramification. However, the official stopped short of detailing how the United States might execute such a maneuver.
Spain's reaction and the consequences of its suspension from the Alliance
“We are not influenced by communications. Our guidance stems from official records and governmental positions, particularly those of the United States,” remarked Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in response to the information.
He further affirmed that Spain is a “dependable ally” of the Alliance.
Even in the absence of legal enforceability, open declarations regarding the potential removal of Spain from defense support could prove to be “exceptionally detrimental” to NATO and further erode confidence between Europe and the United States, according to Sven Biskop, a professor specializing in European defense policy at the Egmont Institute and Ghent University.
“Presently, the majority of European leaders lack assurance that the United States will stand by them during every crisis… Trump’s actions run counter to America's own interests,” Bishop remarked.
Review of the US position on Britain's claims to the Falkland Islands
The document also entertains the prospect of amending US diplomatic support for past European “colonial territories”, including the Falkland Islands situated off the coastline of Argentina.
The islands are under British administration, as per the State Department, but Argentina persists in maintaining its claim to them. The country's president, libertarian Javier Milley, is a Trump confidant.
In 1982, a brief conflict erupted between Great Britain and Argentina over the territories subsequent to the latter’s abortive attempt to institute control over them. Consequently, approximately 650 Argentine and 255 British soldiers perished, leading to Argentina’s capitulation.
Trump has consistently rebuked British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, branding him as a craven figure for declining to align with the US conflict against Iran, noting that he is “no Winston Churchill”, and further characterizing British aircraft carriers as “playthings”.
Britain initially denied the US authorization to utilize two of its bases for striking Iran, but subsequently consented to undertaking protective missions aimed at safeguarding the region’s populace, encompassing British citizens, in the face of Iran’s retaliatory measures.
Addressing journalists at the Pentagon earlier this month, US Defense Secretary Pete Haag asserted that the conflict with Iran had “revealed a great deal,” emphasizing that Iran’s extended-range missiles lacked the capacity to reach the United States but were capable of striking European nations.
“We encounter inquiries, impediments or hesitations… A genuine alliance is unattainable when nations are unwilling to provide assistance when required,” he underscored.
It is worth noting that despite Trump’s advocacy for NATO to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, Spain demurred from participating in the war in the Middle East in early April, deeming it a breach of international law and an area beyond the Alliance’s purview. Owing to Madrid’s stance and the absence of consensus, NATO’s undertaking is impracticable. Against this backdrop, Britain initiated the formation of an alternative coalition comprising 40 nations to circumvent the Alliance’s mechanisms and reinstate maritime activity.
According to Politico, the Trump administration contemplates categorizing NATO members into “exemplary” and “recalcitrant” cohorts, contingent upon their backing for the US in the conflict with Iran and defense allocations. “Exemplary” allies — Poland, Romania, the Baltic states, Israel and South Korea — will secure privileges encompassing arms provisions and troop deployments, whereas “recalcitrant” counterparts will confront diminutions in collaborative defense pursuits. Poland and Romania have emerged as pivotal beneficiaries through proactive financing of the armed forces and the furnishing of air bases, while France, Britain and Spain have fallen out of favor as a result of refusal or deferral of assistance.
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