NATO Chief Downplays U.S. Military Cutbacks as Top Commander Develops Backup Plans

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday sought to minimize concerns over the Trump administration's decision to scale back U.S. military contributions should an ally come under attack, even as NATO's top commander works on contingency plans to address the shortfall. Rutte spoke on the eve of a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels.

The United States informed its allies on June 3 that it would no longer supply an aircraft carrier, support ships, aerial refueling planes, and dozens of fighter jets in the event of a crisis. The Pentagon's move is part of a broader U.S. shift in focus toward potential threats from China in the Indo-Pacific region. Rutte insisted the decision does not involve withdrawing troops currently stationed in Europe, stating, "This is not about where forces and assets are currently located."

Under NATO's Article 5 collective security guarantee, the 32 allies agree that an attack on one is an attack on all, though it does not obligate military support. The U.S., which has the alliance's largest armed forces, is effectively scaling back its potential role in such a scenario. However, Washington has confirmed it will not remove its nuclear weapons stationed in Europe, which remain central to NATO's deterrence strategy.

NATO's supreme allied commander, U.S. General Alex Grynkewich, is developing alternative plans to fill the gaps left by the U.S. reductions. Rutte expressed confidence that other allies can compensate, saying, "The overall picture is looking good." European allies and Canada are seeking further clarification from U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ahead of a NATO summit scheduled for July 7-8 in Ankara, Turkey.

In a related development, NATO announced it will reduce the size of its Kosovo Force (KFOR) by more than 1,000 personnel, with U.S. troops expected to be among those withdrawn. KFOR, initially deployed in 1999 with 50,000 personnel, has been gradually downsized as tensions have eased. Rutte confirmed the reduction, and General Grynkewich assessed that Kosovo is now calm enough to "optimize" the force size.