By Donald Trump is confronting an unprecedented diplomatic crisis as key NATO allies refuse to support American military operations against Iran. Spain, France, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom have each pushed back in concrete ways — closing airspace, denying base access, and declining military requests — creating the most serious transatlantic rift in decades.
Spain Closes Its Airspace to US Military Planes
Spain — the most vocal critic in Europe — on Monday said it closed its airspace to US planes involved in the Iran war.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez doubled down on his condemnation of US strikes and his position of not authorizing the use of Spanish military bases or airspace for any activity relating to the war in Iran. His defence minister went further, calling the war launched by the US and Israel “profoundly illegal and profoundly unjust.”
Donald Trump responded with economic threats. After Spain’s announcement, Trump threatened to cut trade with Madrid. The warning did not change Spain’s position.
France Blocks US Military Cargo Flights
France refused to allow planes “loaded up with military supplies” and “headed to Israel” to fly over French territory. According to Reuters, the refusal came as Israel wanted to use France’s airspace to transport US weapons to be used in the war against Iran.
Trump did not hold back. Trump wrote about France on his social network: “The United States will remember.”
Earlier in the conflict, France agreed to let the US Air Force use a base in southern France after receiving a “full guarantee” from the United States that planes not involved in carrying out strikes against Iran would land there. That limited arrangement has since broken down further.
Italy Denies Access to Sicily Air Base
Italy denied a US request for aircraft to land at a military base in Sicily. Italian state broadcaster RAI reported that “the plan had been communicated while the aircraft were already in flight, and checks revealed that these were not normal or logistical flights and therefore not covered by the treaty with Italy.”
The Italian government moved quickly to limit the diplomatic damage. The Italian government rushed to make it clear there were no tensions with Washington and that each US request would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Even a perceived close ally like the right-wing Italian government has denied a US military request — a signal that resistance to the Iran war crosses political lines in Europe.
Poland Refuses to Redeploy Patriot Batteries
Poland said it has no plans to relocate its Patriot batteries, following a report that the US suggested Warsaw consider sending one of its systems to shore up air defenses in the Middle East.
Poland’s defence minister stated the country’s security was an absolute priority. The refusal carries particular weight given Poland’s front-line position on NATO’s eastern flank, where it relies on those same air defence systems to guard against potential Russian aggression.
UK Limits US Bomber Access to Defensive Missions Only
Britain’s position has been more nuanced but still falls short of what Donald Trump demanded. The United Kingdom allowed US bombers to use military bases on its territory, but only for defensive missions, such as striking Iranian military sites involved in attacks on British interests.
Some, like Britain, initially withheld permission for the US to use air bases for offensive missions in Iran. Trump lashed out in response, slamming countries “like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has tried to thread a difficult needle. “Whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I am going to act in the British national interest in all the decisions I make,” Starmer said.
Trump Threatens NATO Withdrawal
Facing resistance from across the alliance, Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric dramatically. Trump said he is considering pulling his country out of NATO, slamming the defence alliance as a “paper tiger.”
“I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger and Putin knows that too, by the way,” Trump said in remarks to UK daily The Telegraph.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the frustration. Rubio said that while Washington was not asking NATO allies to conduct airstrikes against Iran, “when we need them to allow us to use their military bases, their answer is ‘No?’ Then why are we in NATO?”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte acknowledged the strain but pointed to a structural problem: the US was not able to consult with allies because they wanted to keep the campaign secret, which had “the disadvantage that it takes time for the Europeans to get organized.”
The Strait of Hormuz and the Bigger Picture
At the heart of the dispute is the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes — sending energy prices soaring across Europe and beyond.
Trump has repeatedly demanded allied navies help reopen the passage. As energy prices have spiked, Trump has been desperate to get countries to send their ships to the Strait, calling his NATO allies “cowards.”
European allies argue they have genuine legal and constitutional objections. “One key issue for European countries is the issue of legality,” said Kamil Zwolski of the Royal United Services Institute. “What Europeans mean when they say that this war has no legal basis is that the United Nations has not approved it.”
The economic consequences are already visible. The eurozone’s GDP growth forecast for 2026 dropped from 1.2% to 1.0%, while gasoline prices in Europe increased by 15–20% in the week after the strait was closed.
What Happens Next
The diplomatic fallout is accelerating on multiple fronts. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, one of the most pro-NATO members of Trump’s inner circle, said US allies’ response to the war was “very disappointing” and hinted Trump would “reexamine” US commitments to them when it ends.
Britain is working on a parallel track. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will host a virtual meeting of 35 countries that have signed up to help ensure security for shipping in the Strait after the war ends. Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Netherlands are among the signatories to a statement expressing readiness to contribute to safe passage through the strait.
Allied leaders are learning in the unpredictable age of Trump that they can no longer rely on US security guarantees, since an American president appears close to making them conditional on blanket support for his actions.
Whether NATO can survive this rupture intact — and whether Donald Trump follows through on his threat to exit the alliance — may be the defining geopolitical question of 2026.
Stay updated on the latest developments in the US-Iran war and the future of NATO by following our Global News coverage.
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