Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday refrained from reaffirming the United States’ commitment to NATO’s collective defense, stating that the decision rests with President Donald Trump. This stance came after European allies reportedly failed to support the US in its conflict with Iran.
Hegseth’s comments at a Pentagon briefing were notable, as collective defense is a fundamental principle of NATO, established in 1949 primarily to counter the threat of Soviet aggression against member states. Any indication that the US might hesitate to defend NATO allies against attacks, whether from Russia or other adversaries, could significantly undermine the alliance’s cohesion, even if Trump ultimately chooses not to withdraw from NATO—a move that would likely require Congressional approval.
Experts have cautioned that such statements might embolden Russia to challenge NATO’s readiness to uphold Article 5, which declares that an armed attack on one member is an attack on all. When asked directly if the US remains committed to NATO’s collective defense, Hegseth responded, “As far as NATO is concerned, that’s a decision that will be left to the president. But I’ll just say a lot has been laid bare.”
He appeared to reference President Trump’s recent social media criticisms, which targeted France for denying overflight rights to US military resupply planes bound for Israel and condemned Britain for not joining the US and Israel in a war against Iran. On Friday, Trump stated that the US does not “have to be there for NATO,” emphasizing that an alliance loses value if member countries are unwilling to support each other in times of need.
Hegseth concluded by noting that Trump is simply highlighting these issues and that the ultimate decision on the US’s role in NATO will be the president’s to make.
