Pentagon considers suspending Spain from Nato

An internal email from the Pentagon (the headquarters of the US Department of Defence) raises the possibility of suspending Spain from Nato, which would be an unprecedented move in the military alliance and a measure of the utmost seriousness in transatlantic relations.

The message, as Reuters reveals, details the possible punishments that could be imposed on US allies who have refused to get involved in the Iran war.

The government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has made a concerted effort to position itself as Trump's main opposition regarding the Iran conflict. Spain quickly announced that it would not allow the US to use the shared military bases on Spanish territory (Morón and Rota) and that it was closing its airspace to US flights related to the military campaign in the Middle East.

The latest example of these efforts by Sánchez has been the recent international summit with leftist leaders in Barcelona, where Sánchez sought to establish himself as the international leader of the 'No to War' movement.

This has ultimately severed relations between the two governments, which had already deteriorated significantly after Sánchez distanced himself from his European partners during negotiations on increased defence spending. Trump demanded that Nato countries raise their spending to five per cent - a demand the Europeans, except Spain, accepted.

Since then, Trump has relentlessly attacked the Spanish government and threatened tariffs. Suspension from Nato would be a measure of unprecedented severity.

The message does not state what mechanism the US would put in place if it decided to pursue Spain's suspension, but the email has circulated at high levels of the Department of Defence.

This internal email comes at a time when the Iran conflict has reached an awkward impasse for Trump, with frustrations over Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz - almost the only military and strategic asset that what remains of the ayatollahs' regime has.

In addition to refusing to use the bases and airspace, Spain and the rest of the European allies in Nato did not heed Trump's call to participate in unblocking the Strait of Hormuz, which infuriated the US president.

Trump has publicly hinted at the possibility of the US leaving Nato. "They haven't been there for us," he has repeatedly said in recent weeks, referring to the lack of cooperation from their partners.

Nato member states have an obligation to provide mutual assistance in the event of an attack by a third party, but they are not required to participate in military campaigns initiated by one of their allies. The US did not coordinate the military campaign against Iran it launched jointly with Israel on 28 February.

The internal email does not raise the possibility of the US initiating the process of withdrawing from Nato, nor does it mention a possible closure of military bases in Europe or a potential withdrawal of US troops from the continent. The crisis in US-Spain relations casts doubt on the future of Morón and Rota, which the message does not explicitly address.

It does mention, however, reprisals against other allies, beyond Spain's suspension. It considers the possibility of removing "difficult" countries from positions of responsibility or prestige within Nato.

The other country prominently mentioned in the internal email is the UK, the US's long-standing ally, which Trump has consistently criticised for abstaining from participating in the Iran affair. The punishment for the British would also be historic: the email speaks of reviewing the US position and support for the "imperial possessions" of European allies, citing the Falkland Islands, sovereignty over which Argentina is claiming.

Trump has repeatedly criticised Keir Starmer for what he calls a lack of courage, reproaching him for offering to cooperate "when the war is already won". "He's no Winston Churchill," Trump has said on more than one occasion.

The Pentagon has not discredited these reports and the possibility that it is seeking Spain's suspension from Nato. "As President Trump has said, despite everything the US has done for our Nato allies, they haven't been there for us," Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson said. "The War Department (the name Trump's office has given to the Department of Defence) will ensure that the president has credible options to guarantee that our allies stop being a paper tiger and instead fulfill their obligations. We have no further comment on internal deliberations regarding this matter."