NATO Clarifies Membership Rules Amid US Report on Spain
NATO has stated that its founding treaty contains no provisions for suspending or expelling member states from the military alliance. This clarification follows a report citing a US official who referenced an internal Pentagon email suggesting potential punitive measures against allies perceived as unsupportive of the US campaign related to Iran.
The same email reportedly proposed reviewing the US stance on the United Kingdom's claim to the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, a territory also claimed by Argentina.
A NATO official told the BBC that the alliance's founding treaty "does not foresee any provision for suspension of NATO membership, or expulsion." Spain's Prime Minister has also dismissed the report. The BBC has reached out to both the Pentagon and the UK government for comments.
US Criticism of NATO Allies' Role in Iran Conflict
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for their reluctance to increase their involvement following the US and Israel's attacks on Iran on 28 February, which were followed by Iran imposing restrictions on shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Spain has refused to permit the use of its air bases for attacks on Iran. The US maintains two military bases in Spain: Naval Station Rota and Morón Air Base.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addressed the situation, stating:
"We do not work based on emails. We work with official documents and official positions taken, in this case, by the government of the United States."
Sánchez further emphasized Spain's commitment to cooperation with its allies, adding:
"We support full co-operation with its allies, but always within the framework of international law."
UK's Position on Iran Conflict and Military Involvement
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has asserted that deeper involvement in the conflict or participation in the current US blockade of Iran's ports is not in the UK's interest.
The UK has allowed the US to utilize British bases for launching strikes on Iranian targets related to the Strait of Hormuz, and Royal Air Force aircraft have participated in missions to intercept Iranian drones.
The UK, France, and other nations have expressed willingness to maintain the Strait of Hormuz open following a lasting ceasefire or the conclusion of the war.
US Defense Secretary Criticizes European Allies
On Friday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a news conference to criticize European allies for their lack of support in the US-led campaign against Iran.
"We are not counting on Europe, but they need the Strait of Hormuz much more than we do, and might want to start doing less talking and having less fancy conferences in Europe and getting a boat. This is much more their fight than ours," Hegseth said.
"Europe and Asia have benefitted from our protection for decades, but the time for free riding is over," he added.
Last month, President Trump described the 32-member NATO defense alliance as a "one-way street," stating, "We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us."
Details from the Pentagon Email
The internal Pentagon email mentioned that access, basing, and overflight rights (ABO) were "just the absolute baseline for NATO," according to the unnamed US official quoted by .
As potential retaliation for perceived insufficient cooperation, the email suggested reassessing American diplomatic support for longstanding European "imperial possessions," such as the Falkland Islands, the official said.
Reactions from European Leaders
On Friday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on NATO allies to maintain unity in response to the Pentagon memo, describing the alliance as a "source of strength."
"We must work to strengthen NATO's European pillar... which must clearly complement the American one," she told reporters at an EU summit in Cyprus.
A German government spokesperson affirmed Spain's status within NATO, stating during a regular news conference in Berlin:
"Spain is a member of NATO. And I see no reason why that should change."
Background on the Falkland Islands Dispute
The Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas, are located approximately 8,000 miles (12,875 km) from the UK and about 300 miles from mainland Argentina.
Argentina has long claimed sovereignty over the islands, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. The two countries engaged in a war over the islands after Argentine forces invaded in 1982.
Additional Pentagon Proposals and Official Statements
Another option outlined in the email involved suspending "difficult" countries from key positions within the alliance, according to the official.
The official clarified to that the memo did not suggest the US could withdraw from NATO, nor did it propose closing bases in Europe.
In response to the report, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson stated that despite "everything" the US has done for its NATO allies, "they were not there for us."
"The War Department [defense department] will ensure that the president has credible options to ensure that our allies are no longer a paper tiger and instead do their part.
We have no further comment on any internal deliberations to that effect."
