A former Pentagon official is urging the United States to apply significant diplomatic pressure on the United Kingdom to meet its NATO defense spending commitments, suggesting that Washington could leverage the long-standing Falkland Islands sovereignty issue as a tactic. Morgan Murphy, a former War Department press secretary, stated that while the U.S. position on Falklands sovereignty remains unchanged and neutral, the Trump administration might exert heavy diplomatic influence over London’s military budget, arguing that allies cannot ‘skip the bill’ and that ‘friends tell friends the check is due.’ This call comes as reports indicate the UK is poised to abandon its target of spending 3% of GDP on defense by 2030, a move that escalates tensions amid a broader Pentagon review of U.S. troop deployments in Europe and a push for European allies to assume greater responsibility for conventional defense. Murphy emphasized that the U.S. recognizes British administration of the islands and that the islanders overwhelmingly voted to remain British, refuting claims of a U.S. shift on sovereignty, but insisted that diplomatic options, including potential tariffs, remain on the table to ‘squeeze London on the number’ and ensure adherence to defense pledges, framing it as ‘leverage, not abandonment’ and essential for the national security interests of both the U.S. and the UK.
Adapted from: Latest World News on Fox News
