US considers suspending Spain from NATO, internal email suggests
A leaked-style internal Defense Department email reportedly weighs suspending Spain from NATO and adjusting UK-related positions over the Iran war, prompting sharp replies from European leaders.
A US Defense Department internal email reportedly floated pressure options aimed at NATO allies, including Spain.
According to an unnamed US official quoted by Misryoum, the message discussed potential measures against allies believed to have “not sufficiently supported” Washington’s campaign against Iran.. The list, as described, included Spain and the United Kingdom, alongside rethinking aspects of the US position related to the Falkland Islands—territory claimed by Argentina.
The tone of the email, Misryoum reports, was meant to function as a signal to NATO partners. It allegedly framed European reluctance as entitlement, and suggested that suspending Spain from the alliance would have “strong symbolic weight” while causing limited operational disruption for US forces.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez rejected the premise when asked about the email at an EU leaders’ meeting in Cyprus.. He said Spain is a “reliable member” of NATO that meets its obligations and insisted that his government works from official documents and formal positions, not emails.. Madrid’s stance, he added, is consistent collaboration with allies while staying within international law.
At the same time, a UK spokesperson responded firmly to the parts of the report touching on the Falkland Islands.. The spokesperson said the UK’s position on sovereignty and the islands’ right to self-determination is longstanding, unchanged, and will remain so.. The dispute traces back to a short war in 1982 between Britain and Argentina after Argentina attempted to seize control of the islands.
The reported US anger, per the email’s framing as outlined by Misryoum, centers on basing and overflight access connected to attacks on Iran.. Spain has refused to allow the use of its airspace or bases for US strikes.. Misryoum also notes that Trump previously criticized Spain publicly, including by threatening to end trade.
The message reportedly also reflects a broader pressure campaign directed at NATO.. Washington has urged allies to contribute more directly—particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route that has been heavily constrained for months.. Trump has characterized the alliance as insufficiently committed and has pressed NATO members to send naval forces to help reopen the area.
Even where the email discusses consequences for allies, Misryoum says it does not spell out a full US exit from NATO or the closure of US bases in Europe. That distinction matters, because it signals a coercive negotiating posture rather than an immediate rupture—at least on paper.
There is another practical layer here for European capitals: NATO is built not just on military planning, but on predictable rules and shared expectations.. When internal discussions begin to treat participation as leverage, it can quickly shift the political temperature inside alliances.. Leaders who prioritize legal frameworks and sovereign positions may find themselves forced to respond to narratives they did not authorize.
US messaging after the report also fed into that pressure dynamic.. Misryoum reports that Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said allies “were not there for us” despite what the United States has done for NATO members.. Wilson added that the administration would seek “credible options” to push allies to do their part, while offering no further detail on internal deliberations.
For Spain and the UK, the immediate question is how to translate public reassurance into negotiating leverage—especially if Washington escalates demands for access tied to Iran.. The political risk is not only the appearance of division, but also the potential for future operational planning to be affected by mistrust, even when leaders insist they remain committed to NATO obligations.