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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that some of the US’s traditional allies are “surprised and worried about the use of force” as Washington moves forward with its campaign against Iran, raising new questions about NATO’s cohesion at a time of escalation.
Spain has rejected US permission to use certain bases for strikes on Iran, demanding a reduction and compliance with international law. Turkey condemned the operation and warned of wider regional disruption, while President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he was “saddened” by the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and denied that Turkish territory was used in the operation.
In a statement released on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron said, “The outbreak of war between the United States, Israel and Iran has serious consequences for international peace and security.” He added, “Continued expansion is dangerous for all. It must stop.”
At Monday’s press conference, Hegseth drew a stark contrast between Israel and what he described as skeptical allies. “Israel also has a clear mechanism, for which we are grateful. Our competent partners, as we have said from the beginning. Competent partners are good partners, unlike many of our traditional partners, who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, curl up and complain about the use of force.”
U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth look on as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine (deceased) speaks to the media following U.S. military actions in Venezuela, at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 3, 2026. (Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images)
The criticism reflects a growing frustration within the administration that while some European officials have issued statements of support, practical support has not matched the rhetoric.
President Donald Trump has also expressed displeasure with the collective reluctance. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Trump said he was “very disappointed” in British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for initially blocking US use of British bases and that Starmer took “too much time” to reverse course.
The United Kingdom later approved the US use of key facilities, including Diego Garcia, after raising the first formal objection and following a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pose for photos with NATO leaders during the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in The Hague, Netherlands, June 25, 2025. (Ben Stansall/Pool via Reuters)
Justin Fulcher, a former senior adviser to Hegseth, told Fox News Digital that this period represents “a critical point where NATO must act in a unified way to support what the United States is doing.”
He put the issue as bigger than the current campaign. “Symbolically, the US-NATO alliance is important if you are looking to restore sanctions around the world,” Fulcher said, arguing that the apparent unity would send a message not only to Tehran but also to other rivals in the world who are watching how the alliance responds under pressure.
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President Donald Trump, right, speaks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte during a group photo of NATO heads of state and government at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte wants to play down the secession proposals.
“I spoke to all the important European leaders over the weekend,” Rutte said on Fox News. “There is a lot of support for the president.”
He added, “Europe is stepping up, doing everything necessary to ensure that this work can continue and bring all the necessary energy.”
Germany struck a cautious tone. Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned on Sunday that the strikes risk the end of Iraq or Afghanistan and that Europe will face the consequences.
At the same time, he said that Berlin will not “talk” to the US. “So we will not educate our partners about their military strikes against Iran.”
“Despite all doubts, we share many of their goals,” he said.
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Smoke billows in Tehran following an explosion on March 2, 2026, during US and Israeli military strikes. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)
Fulcher compared the current reluctance to the strong reaction of some NATO officials during the alliance’s past conflicts, including the standoff over Greenland.
“If you look at Greenland, that was a very emotional thing for other countries in the Alliance,” Fulcher said. “Iran for decades has been a major promoter and funder of terrorism around the world – attacks that have taken place in Europe, in many NATO countries and in Europe,” he said. “To me, it’s shocking that we’re seeing a difficult time for many NATO members to fully come together and participate in supporting the United States and what the US and Israel are doing in Iran.”
He pointed out that Europe has a big motivational strategy to see the power of Iran reduced.
“I think that actually Europe and NATO have a lot to gain by removing the threat from Iran,” Fulcher said. “If you look at whether it’s the threat of ballistic missiles or other state-sponsored terrorist threats, Europe has been receiving more of these threats than the United States in some cases.”
He emphasized that the support must go beyond public praise.
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NATO leaders posted this photo taken in June. Military leaders met in Washington on Tuesday evening to discuss Ukraine’s security measures. (REUTERS/Claudia Greco)
“Some of our European partners could do a lot more to not only support in words, which should be the bare minimum here, but also support with real concrete action,” concluded Fulcher.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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