U.S. Secretary of defence Pete Hegseth refused to answer a question about the possible withdrawal of the United States from NATO.
"This is not what we will discuss here," Hegseth said at the margins of the gathering of NATO heads of defence in Brussels, asked if the United States could retreat from the alliance if NATO members failed to scope an agreement on expanding defence spending to 5 percent of GDP.
Reuters reported on 2 May that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte proposed that NATO associate States increase spending to 3.5% of GDP and allocate another 1.5% of GDP to additional defence spending. This would meet the demands of U.S. president Donald Trump, who asks allies to usage 5% of GDP to defend himself, although even the United States itself does not spend that much at present.
In early March, NBC reported, citing sources in the U.S. administration, that president Donald Trump could refuse to defend the NATO partner country if it failed to full comply with its defence spending obligations.
Trump repeatedly criticized Europe for its low contribution to NATO's defence capabilities and demanded that all associate States rise defence spending to 5% of GDP, while Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth assured that the United States does not plan to reduce its military presence in Europe.
Continued here:
The Pentagon refused to answer the question of possible U.S. withdrawal from NATO
