NATO crisis deepens as Trump adviser issues fresh warning to Europe | World | News
NATO’s rocky relations with the United States are facing a new blow as Washington plans to withdraw. A senior Pentagon official reportedly told a closed-door meeting in Brussels that the United States would reduce the forces available to NATO.
Sources claimed that this move was intended to pressure European allies to increase their forces more quickly to stop relying on American military support. Transatlantic NATO relations have suffered a series of blows this year, including Donald Trump’s comments about buying Greenland and his harsh criticism of allies over their response to the US-Israeli war on Iran. Senior war department adviser Alexander Velez-Green is alleged to have told the meeting that the withdrawn assets could include submarines, warships and strategic bombers.
The US has also warned that it may reallocate a third of the warplanes it has allocated to protect Europe in the crisis. Telegram.
European sources told the newspaper that this move was similar to previous statements by the Trump administration.
He also announced the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany after Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that the United States had been “humiliated” by Iran.
The United States is by far NATO’s biggest military spender and most powerful force, but Mr. Trump has become increasingly frustrated with the alliance, particularly over a perceived lack of action by allies in the conflict in the Middle East.
Washington has called for a “NATO 3.0” that would put European allies in charge of security on the continent and focus US forces on the Indo-Pacific.
According to reports, the meeting in Brussels was held last Friday and Mr Velez-Green did not offer any details or timeline on the withdrawals.
The cuts are expected to be discussed in more detail at the meeting next month.
Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, told The Telegraph: “The War Department announced changes to US contributions to the NATO Force Model at a meeting of defense policy directors in Brussels.
“These changes represent an opportunity to show allies that they have heard President Trump’s call to act and assume primary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe.”
