Washington wants “Europe to take over the conventional defense” of the continent so it can focus on the Pacific, Matthew Whitaker has said
Washington wants European NATO member states to become less reliant on the US, allowing the latter to shift its focus elsewhere, US envoy to the military bloc, Matthew Whitaker, has said.
Since assuming office in January 2025, President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused NATO allies of freeloading off the US and failing to spend enough on defense. Transatlantic relations have further soured of late amid Washington’s threats to annex Greenland – an autonomous territory controlled by another NATO member state, Denmark.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Whitaker said that the US expects “Europe to take over the conventional defense of the European continent” so that Washington can move its forces to the Pacific. The US envoy to NATO noted that while the “United States is not receding or going away,” it wants European countries to “take on more leadership in the alliance.”
A day earlier, Whitaker likened the bloc’s European member states to children, who must leave parental care and get a job at last. While lauding allies for committing to spending 5% of their respective GDP on defense last year, he suggested that European nations are being too slow in turning this money into actual military capabilities.
On Tuesday, NATO announced that the US would be handing over some of the bloc’s commands to European allies. In the coming years, the UK will take over Joint Force Command Norfolk, with Italy becoming responsible for Joint Force Command Naples. Germany and Poland will lead Joint Force Command Brunssum on a rotational basis.
Washington will retain Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), as well as being in charge of key land, air and maritime capabilities.
”The agreement is part of a shift to more fairly share responsibility within NATO,” the statement said.
In the revised National Defense Strategy released last month, the US Department of War said it would prioritize its own defense and provide only “limited” support to allies in Europe. European countries are expected to take the lead in supporting Ukraine, among other areas.
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