Brussels, April 24, 2026 The United States is reportedly weighing measures to exclude Spain from NATO, citing concerns over its adherence to alliance commitments, according to internal communications revealed Friday. The discussions, outlined in leaked emails, suggest Washington is exploring ways to sideline "difficult" member states from key NATO roles. The messages emphasize that certain principles are "die absolute Basis für die Nato" ("the absolute basis for NATO"), signaling a hardening stance toward allies perceived as failing to meet defense obligations.
A Pentagon spokesperson echoed the sentiment, stating: "Wie Präsident Trump gesagt hat, waren unsere Nato-Verbündeten trotz allem, was die USA für sie getan haben, nicht für uns da" ("As President Trump has said, our NATO allies have not been there for us despite all the U.S. has done for them"). The spokesperson added that the Pentagon would ensure the president has "glaubwürdige Optionen" ("credible options") to compel allies to contribute more, so they are "nicht länger ein Papiertiger sind, sondern ihren Teil beitragen" ("no longer a paper tiger but pull their weight").
Diplomatic Tensions Escalate
The leaked correspondence highlights growing friction between the U.S. and Spain, a longstanding NATO member. The proposed measures aim to exclude "schwierige" ("difficult") countries from prestigious NATO positions, though the emails do not specify whether full expulsion is under consideration.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez dismissed the emails as unofficial, telling reporters ahead of an informal EU leaders' meeting in Cyprus: "Wir arbeiten nicht auf der Grundlage von E-Mails. Wir stützen uns auf offizielle Dokumente und Regierungspositionen, in diesem Fall der USA" ("We do not operate based on emails. We rely on official documents and government positions, in this case from the U.S."). His remarks underscored Madrid's insistence on formal diplomatic channels over informal leaks.