Iran deepens cracks in NATO

As US President Donald Trump increasingly openly tries to shift the burden of global security crises onto European allies, the messages coming from Washington are further deepening the cracks within NATO. Trump yesterday told countries like the UK to “muster up the courage” to go to the Strait of Hormuz and “just take” the fuel, and his Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth refused to confirm the US commitment to the Alliance’s collective defence, stressing that Trump will have the final say, with the complaint that European allies did not stand by America in the war against Iran.

“You will have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the United States will no longer be there to help you, just as you were not there for us,” Trump said. He added that those countries could buy “jet fuel” from the United States, which he said was “abundant,” if they ran out of supplies. “Iran is essentially decimated. The hard part is over. Go get your oil!” Trump concluded in a post on social media.

Tensions are further fueled by concrete moves by European states. Italy recently refused to allow US warplanes to refuel in Sicily en route to the Middle East, while Trump sharply criticized France for banning overflights by aircraft linked to the conflict.

Asked by Reuters at a press conference earlier yesterday whether the US remained committed to NATO's collective defence, Hegseth replied: "When it comes to NATO, that's a decision that will be left to the president. But I can only say that a lot has been exposed." He then appeared to point to Trump's social media posts, in which he criticised France for not allowing US military planes to fly over to resupply supplies that were heading to Israel, and Britain for not joining the US and Israel in launching a war against Iran.

"You don't have a particularly strong alliance if you have countries that aren't willing to stand by you when you need them. He's simply pointing that out, and ultimately it's his decision what that looks like," Hegseth said.

Italy recently refused to allow US warplanes to refuel in Sicily, and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto refused to allow them to land because US officials did not request prior approval from the Italian military leadership in time, the sources said.

A senior Italian official told the Financial Times that the flights were not “routine logistics flights” automatically covered by bilateral agreements between Italy and the US, and therefore required explicit permission.

Hours after the Italian rejection was first reported by the Corriere della Sera newspaper, Trump criticized Paris, accusing France of preventing planes carrying weapons destined for Israel from flying over its territory. “France did not allow planes loaded with military supplies and headed for Israel to fly over its territory. France was VERY USELESS when it came to the ‘butcher of Iran’, which was successfully eliminated! The US will REMEMBER!!!,” Trump posted on his Truit Social network yesterday.

France said yesterday it was "surprised" by Donald Trump's comments, saying this had been France's position since the start of the war with Iran. "We are surprised by this announcement. France has not changed its position since the first day (of the conflict) and we confirm this decision," President Emmanuel Macron's office said.

The moves by Italy and France have raised concerns within NATO, two alliance officials told the FT, noting that they could further deepen existing transatlantic divisions over the conflict.

One of them said there was a risk that these moves would undermine efforts to reach a compromise with Trump on a possible post-war naval operation to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

“It’s self-sabotage,” another official said of the French and Italian stance. “The Americans will do it anyway, you’re just getting on their nerves.”

Spain is among the more prominent European opponents of the US-Israeli attack on Iran and has publicly refused to allow the US to use bases on its territory for that conflict.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has banned the use of the joint Spanish-American bases in Rota and Moron for war-related operations. This week, Spanish ministers confirmed that the ban also includes denying overflights through Spanish airspace to aircraft involved in attacks on Iran.

Defense Minister Margarita Robles said yesterday: “We are clearly saying that we will not use the bases for a war that we consider illegitimate, and we do not approve of the overflights.” She added: “This decision does not in any way represent a break in transatlantic relations.” Operations not related to Iran continue at the bases, Robles said. “Our position is supported by the majority of people, not only in Spain, but also in Europe,” she added.

Spanish government officials insist that Sanchez is not an exception in Europe, but is simply more willing to publicly voice disagreements with Trump.

The office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni announced yesterday that Rome "is acting fully in accordance with existing international agreements" and that relations with Washington are "solid".