Full Breakdown
US Pentagon Memos Target NATO Allies Over Iran War
4/25/2026, 12:21:22 AM
The Leaked Email and Its Proposals
On 24 April 2026 a Pentagon email listed punitive steps for NATO members deemed uncooperative in the Iran campaign. Options ranged from suspending Spain’s NATO membership to reviewing U.S. support for the UK’s Falkland claim and stripping “difficult” allies of prestigious NATO posts. The memo called ABO rights “just the absolute baseline for NATO.”
Background
US and Israel launched air strikes on Iranian targets in late February 2026, prompting Tehran to close the Strait of Hormuz, which moves one-fifth of oil and LNG. Washington asked NATO allies for basing and overflight rights; Spain and Italy refused, while the UK allowed defensive missions, heightening President Trump’s criticism of the alliance.
Data and Statistics
The United States operates Naval Station Rota and Morón Air Base in Spain. The 1982 Falklands war caused 650 Argentine and 255 British deaths. About 20 % of world oil and LNG passes the Strait of Hormuz.
Key Actors
President Donald Trump; Kingsley Wilson, Pentagon press secretary; Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (Spain); Prime Minister Keir Starmer (UK); Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (Italy); German government spokesperson; NATO officials; analysts Oana Lungescu and Dr. Patrick Bury.
Official Statements & Responses
Kingsley Wilson echoed Trump’s claim that allies “were not there for us” and said the Defense Department will provide “credible options” to stop “paper-tiger” behavior. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called Spain a “reliable member” of NATO, stressed “absolute collaboration … within international legality,” and dismissed the email as unofficial. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said NATO “must remain united.”
Criticism & Opposition
NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu warned the memo could be “ideological trolling.” Dr. Patrick Bury noted NATO’s charter lacks a mechanism to expel a member and that “you can’t kick people out of NATO unless there’s a material breach,” which does not exist for Spain. Analysts caution that symbolic threats risk eroding alliance trust.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
NATO officials say the founding treaty provides no provision for suspension or expulsion, and Reuters could not confirm a legal route for the suggested actions. The Pentagon stresses the email does not propose U.S. withdrawal or base closures, yet it offers no detail on how a suspension would be enforced. No formal policy has been announced, leaving the scope of the options unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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.” — Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain
- “As President Trump has said, despite everything that the United States has done for our NATO allies, they were not there for us.” — Kingsley Wilson, Pentagon Press Secretary
- “Trump called Spain “terrible” and threatened to end all trade with the country.” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
- “It’s hard to know how seriously we should take such emails beyond ideological trolling,” — Oana Lungescu, former NATO spokesperson
