EU Officials Sidestep Pentagon Memo Calling for Spain's Expulsion From NATO
European Union officials on Friday declined to engage with a Pentagon memo that called for removing Spain from NATO, with the EU's top diplomat refusing to discuss the matter publicly. Speaking in Cyprus, the EU's Costa told reporters, "We don't discuss internal issues of Nato," when asked about the U.S. document. The memo, reported by Euobserver, called for Spain's expulsion from the alliance, but most EU leaders also ignored the so-called "squeaky toy" Pentagon memo, according to the same report.
The EU's Costa made the statement on April 24, 2026, during a visit to Cyprus. His brief response marked the first official EU reaction to the leaked Pentagon document, which has not been publicly released by the U.S. Department of Defense. The memo's contents and authorship remain unconfirmed by U.S. officials, but the document has circulated among European diplomatic circles since its emergence earlier this week.
EU Leaders Ignore Pentagon Document
Most EU leaders have chosen to disregard the Pentagon memo entirely, according to Euobserver. The document, described by the publication as a "squeaky toy" memo, has not prompted any formal response from European capitals. No EU member state has publicly addressed the threat to Spain's NATO membership, and no emergency meetings have been scheduled to discuss the matter.
The lack of response reflects a broader pattern of European caution when dealing with U.S. defense policy under the Trump administration. The Pentagon memo, if authentic, would represent an unprecedented attempt by Washington to unilaterally expel a NATO ally. NATO's founding treaty requires unanimous consent from all 30 member states to expel a member, a process that has never been invoked.
EU Seeks Clarity on Common Defense Pact
Separately, the EU is working to clarify its common defense provision without encroaching on NATO's role, according to Politico Europe. The EU wants more clarity on its common defense provision, but countries are wary of clashing with NATO, the publication reported on April 24, 2026. The effort aims to define the scope of the EU's mutual defense clause, Article 42.7, which requires member states to aid any fellow member that is attacked on its territory.
The EU's push for clarity comes as European nations seek to strengthen their own defense capabilities while maintaining the transatlantic alliance. Several EU member states have expressed concern that a more assertive EU defense policy would undermine NATO, which has been the cornerstone of European security since 1949. The EU's common defense provision has been invoked only once, by France after the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks, when other EU members provided military support in Syria and Iraq.
The Pentagon memo's call for Spain's expulsion has added urgency to these discussions, as European officials weigh the implications of a potential U.S. move to weaken NATO's southern flank. Spain hosts two major NATO bases — Moron Air Base and Rota Naval Station — which are critical for U.S. operations in North Africa and the Mediterranean. The U.S. maintains approximately 3,000 troops in Spain under a bilateral defense agreement signed in 1988.
No further EU statements on the Pentagon memo are expected in the coming days, according to diplomatic sources cited by Euobserver. The EU's Costa has not scheduled any additional briefings on the matter, and the European Commission has not issued a formal position on the document.