Europe Hardens Stance Against Trump’s Iran War in Threat to NATO

A US Air Force Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber takes off from RAF Fairford on March 17. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg Photo by Chris Ratcliffe /Bloomberg

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(Bloomberg) — Donald Trump’s NATO allies are increasing resistance to getting involved in his Iran war, risking a deeper rupture in the already strained military bloc.

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Spain closed its airspace to US jets Monday, and Italy denied US military aircraft bound for the Middle East permission to land at a base in Sicily, according to a person familiar with the matter. Poland said it has no plans to relocate its Patriot batteries, following a report that the US has suggested Warsaw consider sending one of its systems to shore up air defenses in the Middle East.

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On Tuesday, the US president posted on social media his unhappiness with France’s refusal to allow planes with military supplies use its airspace. “The U.S.A. will REMEMBER,” Trump wrote.

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European leaders have been walking a fine line since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran Feb. 28. They hope to avoid antagonizing the US commander in chief and keep him from undermining Ukraine’s war effort against Russia. After initially rebuffing Trump’s calls for help to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz, they have since coalesced around an offer to build a coalition to enforce freedom of navigation in the key passage after the end of active combat. 

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But it was too late to avoid Trump’s fury. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was softer behind closed doors at a Group of Seven gathering last week in France, making no concrete demands and supporting this initiative, Bloomberg reported. Yet on Monday he said the US may need to reassess its relationship with NATO after the Iran war and called the military alliance’s response to the US action “very disappointing,” assailing partners in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for denying access to military bases.

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While the US initiated the war in Iran with little to no warning to allies, its offensive relies heavily on European territory — bases, ports and airspace. Yet European nations are neither willing to engage in the conflict directly nor do they have the political latitude to give Trump the support he wants.

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Europe has skin in the game when it comes to the vital Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed with threats of retaliation after being attacked by the US and Israel. The critical passageway for energy supplies has been effectively shut since late February, leading oil and gas prices to soar.

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The conflict is broadly unpopular across Europe, which is already reeling from an inflation surge that’s stemmed from the war. Leaders have sought to distance themselves from it, stressing that any military involvement so far has been purely defensive.  

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“We’re seeing evidence of confusion and tension between public opinion and political opinion in many NATO countries,” said Ian Lesser, distinguished fellow at GMF. “As a default, there is a tendency to be helpful in Europe regarding military to military cooperation with the US, but the current war is putting these longstanding defense relationships under strain.”