A NATO official confirmed that Trump cannot expel Spain or other members from the alliance over their refusal to support the Iran war, since NATO's founding treaty contains no expulsion provision. The Pentagon reportedly explored punishing non-cooperating members, but the legal foundation for such action doesn't exist — Spain has refused to let the U.S. use its bases for Iran strikes and rejected Trump's demand to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP, drawing sharp criticism from the administration. This matters because it reveals tension between Trump's military strategy and NATO's structural constraints; allies can be pressured but not formally expelled, forcing the U.S. to use other leverage like sanctions or threats to withdraw. Spain has quietly supported Ukraine with $1.2 billion in military aid for 2026, suggesting the dispute is narrower than Trump's rhetoric suggests.