Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Friday he was “not worried” after reports that the United States is considering measures — reportedly including suspending Spain from NATO — in response to some allies’ refusal to support U.S. operations in the war with Iran.
A U.S. official cited by Reuters said an internal Pentagon email outlined possible actions aimed at NATO members seen as uncooperative. Those options reportedly ranged from signaling reduced political support to reviewing Washington’s backing for Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands.
Spain, along with Italy and France, recently denied U.S. aircraft use of their bases or airspace for strikes on Iran. Sánchez, one of a small group of European leaders who criticized a U.S.-Israeli strike on Tehran that helped trigger the wider conflict, called that action a breach of international law. He told reporters ahead of an EU summit in Cyprus that Madrid would respond to formal U.S. government positions rather than to internal emails, and reiterated that Spain is a reliable NATO member that cooperates within the bounds of international law.
Observers note a practical problem for any punitive move: NATO decisions run on consensus, and there is no clear procedure for suspending a member, making implementation uncertain. A German government spokesperson said Spain’s NATO membership was not at issue, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged unity and called for a stronger European pillar to complement the U.S. role in the alliance.
President Donald Trump has publicly criticized NATO countries that declined to participate in the war, questioned the value of U.S. membership in the alliance, and faulted allies for not deploying navies to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed since the conflict began.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she was puzzled by U.S. criticism, noting that the UK and France are leading post-hostility tasks such as demining and escorting ships through the strait. A Department of Defense spokesperson said the administration would ensure the president had credible options to press allies to do more, but declined to comment further on internal deliberations.
The Reuters source said the email did not advocate withdrawing from NATO or closing European bases; its purpose, officials said, was to send a message and “decrease the sense of entitlement” among allies. The memo reportedly suggested reviewing U.S. support for the U.K.’s Falklands claim after Britain initially refused use of its bases for U.S. aircraft; London later permitted defensive missions. A spokesperson for U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed that sovereignty over the islands remains a British matter and underscored the islanders’ right to self-determination.
For now, Madrid insists it remains committed to alliance cooperation while defending its decisions under international law, and questions persist about how, if at all, Washington could carry out the options described in the leaked email.