Leaked Pentagon Documents Reveal Questionnaire Testing NATO Allies on Political Loyalty and US Alignment

Leaked documents obtained exclusively by Al Jazeera reveal that the Pentagon has handed NATO allies a detailed list of questions evaluating their adherence to President Donald Trump’s vision for the transatlantic alliance. The questionnaire, titled “Questions for NATO Allies & Other Key Stakeholders”, asks pointedly if allies have been publicly supportive of US foreign policy priorities and aligned with the US approach of being “strong, clear, and quiet,” a phrase used by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during his May address at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Markings and phrasing on the three-page document indicate the questions are designed to guide interactions between US officials and their NATO counterparts during an ongoing six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe. Bloomberg News previously reported on parts of the questionnaire. The most overtly political inquiries appear at the end, probing whether allies have restricted US access to bases and military flights—a significant friction point amid the US-Israel war on Iran. Several European countries enacted such restrictions following the start of the conflict on February 28, prompting the questionnaire to ask if they are willing to reduce or eliminate those limitations.

Experts note the document highlights a broader effort by President Donald Trump to involve US allies in the Iran war, even though the conflict falls outside NATO’s collective defence pact. A senior defence official from a NATO ally, speaking anonymously, stated that the Trump administration is confusing NATO topics with unilateral US military operations. The questionnaire also inquires whether allies endorse the “NATO 3.0” concept, which urges European nations to assume greater responsibility for their own defence with more limited US support, alongside demands for increased defence spending and contributions to NATO's command and makeup of forces.

Certain countries have already clashed with these demands. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Spain for seeking an exemption from a 2025 agreement to raise military spending to 5 percent of GDP. In March, Spain also closed its airspace and military bases to US planes for attacks against Iran, resulting in President Donald Trump threatening to cut trade with Madrid. A senior European official noted that while the questionnaire does not explicitly condition US military presence on political loyalty, it reflects the Pentagon's desire to justify specific force reductions and send a message to allies to align closely with the White House agenda.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Jim Townsend told Al Jazeera’s This is America programme that such issues arise across administrations, though he emphasized that President Donald Trump cares deeply about loyalty from both his own staff and international allies.