US dismisses NATO exit rumors, vows to remain a reliable partner – Ambassador
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker (Getty Images)
The United States remains committed to the North Atlantic Alliance and has no plans to withdraw from NATO, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said.
"The US is not going anywhere. The US will remain a reliable partner," Whitaker said during a briefing, addressing concerns from European allies.
His remarks come amid growing tensions within the Alliance. During his first term as president, Donald Trump repeatedly hinted at the possibility of the US leaving NATO.
Washington continues to urge its allies to increase their contributions to the Alliance, specifically pushing to raise the target defense spending from 2% to 5% of GDP.
Beyond the financial issue, allies are also concerned about the possibility of the US reducing its military presence in Europe.
Last month, at a security conference in Estonia, Whitaker himself stated that Washington planned to begin talks on a partial troop withdrawal from NATO's eastern flank.
He described it as merely a matter of "discussing practical implications."
Today, however, the ambassador made no mention of a potential US troop withdrawal and offered no further comments on the issue.
Trump's threats to leave NATO
During his first presidency, Donald Trump was openly skeptical of NATO as a collective force capable of ensuring security in the North Atlantic.
He often argued that European members were spending too little on defense while benefiting from the security umbrella provided by the United States — the Alliance's most powerful member. At times, he even raised the possibility of the US withdrawing from NATO.
During his second term, Trump has repeated the same criticisms, although European countries have since increased their defense spending. Meanwhile, the threat posed to NATO's European members by Russia has become more evident than ever.
