The head of the Pentagon avoids reaffirming the US commitment to NATO's collective defense.

The American Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, refused on Tuesday to reaffirm the United States' commitment to NATO's collective defense, emphasizing that the decision will depend on President Donald Trump. This came after European allies did not support Washington in the war against Iran, raising concerns about the stability of the Alliance.

Any signal from the U.S. that it would not be willing to defend other NATO members in the event of an attack from Russia or another adversary could severely weaken the Alliance, even if Trump does not opt for a total withdrawal, which would require Congressional consent. Experts warn that such statements could encourage Russia to test NATO members' willingness to invoke Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.

Hegseth stated that the commitment to NATO is a decision that belongs to the president, in the context in which Trump has stated that the U.S. "does not need to be there for NATO," highlighting the lack of support from some member countries in the case of the war in the Middle East.