The Pentagon is looking at ways the US can punish NATO countries for not supporting the Iran war.
Donald Trump is exploring ways of punishing NATO countries that didn’t support the US’s Iran war (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump’s Pentagon officials are exploring ways the United States can punish NATO countries for failing to support the Iran war, including by reportedly reviewing Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands. An official told the Reuters news agency that options are detailed in an email where some NATO members are singled out for not granting the US access, basing and overflight rights for its Middle East war.
An option included in the message is to consider reassessing US diplomatic support for European “imperial possessions”, such as the Falkland Islands. The archipelago in the South Atlantic is a self-governing British Overseas Territory which has long been claimed by Argentina. The UK went to war against Argentina to defend its sovereignty after the Argentinians invaded the islands in 1982. Argentina’s current leader, Javier Milei, is one of Mr Trump‘s staunchest allies.
Argentine leader Javier Milei is a staunch ally of Donald Trump (Image: Getty)
Britain initially refused to allow the US to attack Iran from two of its bases in the UK, triggering a savage response from Mr Trump. The Labour Government later gave permission for defensive operations to protect British interests in the Gulf amid retaliatory Iranian airstrikes.
The US President has repeatedly tried to ramp up pressure on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to do more to assist the White House’s war efforts.
Mr Trump has previously claimed Sir Keir is cowardly and “no Winston Churchill” in a souring of US-UK relations. He has also criticised NATO members for not helping to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed in retaliation for the US-Israeli attacks.
Britain’s ambassador to the US, Sir Christian Turner, said last week the UK will make a wide-ranging military contribution to international efforts to protect shipping in the strait.
The UK has also been leading an international push to ensure the future security of the shipping lane, through which in normal times 20% of the world’s supply of hydrocarbons flowed.
Mr Trump has long complained about the contributions paid by fellow NATO members, arguing the US has been carrying other countries financially.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has insisted the United States’ European allies had provided “a massive amount of support” to the US during the Iran conflict and delivered on their commitments.
The US President has previously threatened to take his country out of the long-standing security alliance, branding it a “paper tiger”.
But the memo does not call for a US exit or for the United States to close its military bases in Europe, according to reports.
The official declined to say whether a possible drawdown of some US forces from Europe was included in the message.
Another option for US retaliation mooted in the message is for Spain to be suspended from NATO. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been a vocal critic of the US action in the Middle East.
Madrid has also refused the US permission to use bases at Rota and Morón for attacks against Iran.