PALERMO, Sicily (CN) - Italy's far-right government stopped American bombers from using a key air base in Sicily to launch attacks against Iran, a sign of growing resistance in Europe toward U.S. President Donald Trump's war in the Middle East.
On Tuesday, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto confirmed American bombers heading toward Iran were not allowed to land at Sigonella, a pivotal air base in Sicily for U.S. operations, because they hadn't been granted authorization to do so. The refusal took place "a few nights ago," according to Corriere della Sera, an Italian newspaper that first reported on Italy's action.
With its decision, Italy joined Spain in placing restrictions on U.S. aircraft waging war against Iran.
On Monday, Spain confirmed it was barring American planes involved in the Iran war from using its air bases and airspace. Meanwhile, Trump accused France of closing off its airspace to aircraft used in the war. As of Tuesday, French authorities had not confirmed Trump's statement. The Le Monde newspaper, citing unnamed officials, reported France had not banned all military overflights to the Middle East.
The resistance coming from European allies prompted an angry response from Trump on Tuesday, who cast fresh doubts on the NATO alliance.
"You'll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won't be there to help you anymore, just like you weren't there for us," Trump said on Truth Social.
He called France "very unhelpful" for not allowing warplanes headed to Israel with military supplies to fly over French territory. Separately, he criticized the United Kingdom for "refusing to get involved in the decapitation of Iran."
Angrily, he taunted European nations by saying they would need to "build up some delayed courage" and open up the Strait of Hormuz without American help.
"Iran has been, essentially, decimated," he said. "The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!"
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called into question the NATO alliance during an interview with Al Jazeera.
He said he was "very disappointed" with European allies and that the U.S. attacked Iran because it presented a "grave risk to our national security and our national interests."
"One of the reasons why NATO is beneficial to the United States is it gives us basing rights for contingencies," he said. "It allows us to station troops and aircraft and weapons in parts of the world that we wouldn't normally have bases, and that includes in much of Europe."
He blasted Spain for denying "the use of their airspace and bragging about it" even though the U.S., as a NATO member, has "pledged to defend" it.
"And so you ask yourself, 'Well, what is in it for the United States?'" Rubio said. "If NATO is just about us defending Europe if they're attacked, but them denying us basing rights when we need them, that's not a very good arrangement."
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a far-right leader aligned with Trump, sought to downplay any transatlantic friction with her office saying relations remained "strong" with the U.S.
Under treaties signed in the 1950s with the U.S., Crosetto said lawmakers needed to sign off on letting U.S. aircraft involved in a war use Italian bases. Special authorization isn't needed for "normal or logistical" flights, he said.
Still, Crosetto's action showed how Trump's assault on Iran has made his right-wing allies in Europe uneasy as the war plunges Europe into a new energy crisis and destroys his image as an American leader opposed to war, especially one that may force scores of refugees to seek shelter in Europe.
Far-right figures like Meloni are at risk of suffering politically for their association with Trump. Indeed, many pundits have linked Meloni's recent loss in a critical judicial reform referendum to growing discontent with Trump in Europe. Across Europe, polls show a majority of people are opposed to the Iran war.
Thus, some far-right leaders seem eager to signal their distance from Trump.
In a weekend speech, Tino Chrupalla, the coleader of the far-right Alternative for Germany, said it was time for American troops to leave Germany. The AfD has long advocated this position, but the war has prompted the party to highlight it. The AfD has friendly ties with the Trump administration.
"Let's begin to put into practice what our party manifesto says by withdrawing U.S. troops from Germany," he told a party conference.
Chrupalla even praised Socialist Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, an ideological opponent, for opposing the war. He said Germany could improve relations with Iran by distancing itself from the U.S.
"These wars are not about freedom and peace, but about oil and dollars," he said.
Courthouse News reporter Cain Burdeau is based in the European Union.
Source: Courthouse News Service
