Spain in Trump’s crosshairs. Potential for suspension of NATO membership?

According to information obtained by Reuters, internal Pentagon correspondence suggests the United States is exploring ways to penalize certain European allies who do not meet the expectations of the US authorities. Among those reportedly under scrutiny: Spain. 

Spain under pressure

Given the recent cooling of relations between Washington and Madrid, Spain’s inclusion should not come as a surprise. For some time, the country has been viewed in U.S. policy circles as a reluctant player within NATO. Several factors underpin this perception.  The Spanish government has been frequently labelled as the hampering party in NATO. Spain was among the last allies to meet NATO’s benchmark of spending 2% of GDP on defence, a target agreed at the 2014 summit in Newport. It also resisted, at least initially, more ambitious long-term defence spending goals, including plans, ultimately adopted at last year’s Hague summit—to push spending toward 5% by 2035.

These issues had already placed Madrid on Washington’s radar. But what appears to have tipped the balance was Spain’s stance during a recent U.S. military operation involving Iran. The government of Pedro Sánchez reportedly denied U.S. bombers access to Spanish airspace and refused to allow American forces to use key military facilities, namely the naval base in Rota and the air base in Morón, for broader operational purposes during the „Epic Fury”. Spain’s defense minister, Margarita Robles, underscored this position shortly after hostilities began, stating that US forces stationed in southern Spain would not support offensive operations against Iran.

Penalize? But how?

The central question now is what form any potential penalty might take. One idea floated in the Pentagon emails is the suspension of Spain’s rights as a NATO member. However, this runs into a fundamental legal obstacle: the North Atlantic Treaty contains no provision allowing for the suspension of a member state.

As a result, more indirect measures are likely. As Reuters noted, these could include blocking Spanish officials from holding senior or high-profile NATO positions with decision-making authority , or limiting Spain’s participation in selected alliance initiatives.

Spain and beyond?

Interestingly, the internal discussions reportedly extend beyond Spain alone. According to Reuters, the U.S. administration under Donald Trump is also considering a broader reassessment of its diplomatic support for what it describes as „European imperial possessions.”  This could include, for example, the United Kingdom’s claims over the Falkland Islands, an issue that has periodically drawn criticism from Trump in recent months. Like Spain, London has not been immune to pressure from Washington.