Trump Wants to Punish Spain & NATO Allies Over Iran War

Washington is weighing punitive measures against NATO partners it views as unwilling to support operations in the Iran war, according to an internal Pentagon policy email.

The memo, circulating at senior Pentagon levels, frames access, basing and overflight rights as “just the absolute baseline for NATO,” according to a U.S. official who talked to Reuters for its exclusive. It proposes suspending “difficult” countries from key alliance roles, with Spain specifically identified due to its refusal to allow bases or airspace to be used for strikes on Iran.

Spain hosts two major U.S. installations - Naval Station Rota and Morón Air Base - making its stance operationally relevant even if suspension would be largely symbolic in military terms.

One option includes suspending Spain from NATO structures, while another suggests reassessing U.S. diplomatic support for British control of the Falkland Islands, a dispute dating back to the 1982 war in which 650 Argentine and 255 British personnel were killed.

The measures aim to reduce what officials describe as a European “sense of entitlement,” signaling frustration with allies that declined to support U.S. naval operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the war began on Feb. 28.

Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said allies “were not there for us,” adding the department would ensure options to make partners “do their part.”

President Donald Trump has echoed this view, asking, “Wouldn’t you if you were me?” when discussing potential U.S. withdrawal from NATO.

He also criticized Spain directly, saying, “Their financial numbers… are absolutely horrendous,” accusing them of contributing little to NATO defense.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez rejected the report, stating governments “do not work off emails.”

In parallel, Spain has continued its anti-war stance. They have pushed to suspend the EU-Israel agreement, citing alleged breaches of international law, though Euronews said the effort lacks consensus, with Germany and Italy opposing it.

Meanwhile president Sánchez, speaking in China, said Europe should “strengthen ties with China,” reflecting broader strategic divergence within the alliance.

The dispute comes as NATO, now 76 years old, faces questions about cohesion. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth complained Nato wouldn’t be much of an alliance if members hesitate to act, noting Iran’s missiles can reach Europe even if not the United States.

The Iran war, now in its eighth week, has exposed divisions over risk-sharing, military access, and the scope of alliance obligations, with policy options under review but no formal decisions announced.