Pentagon tests NATO allies' loyalty ahead of US forces review in Europe

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BRUSSELS — Deputy Pentagon chief Elbridge Colby on Thursday sounded out the support of NATO countries for key U.S. defense objectives, in a first test of ahead of a critical review of American forces in Europe.

The rare visit by a senior U.S. official marks another step in the U.S. campaign to make Europe and Canada spend more on their own defense. Washington also wants to probe their loyalty after several NATO countries curbed access to their airspace and to American bases linked to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Overall, the review “will encourage, enable, and impel a transition to a more durable and powerful European-led conventional defense of the continent,” Colby told NATO’s 32 ambassadors, according to his published remarks .

Some NATO allies have bridled at the approach. Earlier this month the U.S. sent out a questionnaire, according to two European defense officials, asking allies to detail their views on subjects ranging from defense spending to U.S. foreign policy.

It’s a “scary exercise,” said a NATO diplomat, describing the survey as an attempt to get allies to “pledge their allegiance to the king.”

Colby on Thursday said the questionnaire wasn’t aimed at “dictating” terms nor at obtaining “a complete carte blanche” on U.S. military access, and praised countries for “rebuilding their military strength for collective defense.”

But, he added: “We need to be able to have the ability to operate effectively; we need predictability,” affirming that access to American bases in Europe is a key criterion in Washington’s six-month review of its military presence on the continent.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the review in June partly in response to the airspace and basing restrictions imposed by countries including France, Italy and Spain. President Donald Trump threatened to leave NATO over the constraints earlier this year.

As part of its review, the U.S. sent a “terms of reference” document to allies this month, arguing it would examine issues like defense spending and expanded military access in Europe, according to a person familiar with the matter who was granted anonymity to speak freely. Reuters first reported the document.

The review process is also raising fears that allies will compete for a U.S. presence on their territory.

During the meeting with envoys on Thursday, “allies entered in a ‘beauty contest’,” said one NATO diplomat, “with everyone highlighting his [or] her country’s implementation of NATO 3.0” — a reference to the U.S.-led effort to make Europe take responsibility for its conventional defense.

Polish Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski told POLITICO that Warsaw was “ready to propose” different locations, “financing” and “logistics required” for a proposal to permanently station U.S. troops in the country. However, he insisted, “this review is based not on beauty offers, but on common interests.”

NATO ambassadors didn’t make specific offers to Colby in Thursday’s meeting but highlighted their progress on alliance military capability targets, defense spending and their offers to substitute U.S. forces as part of alliance war plans, the two NATO diplomats said. One described the meeting, overall, as “very constructive.”

U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, who commands American troops in Europe, is set to present Colby with military recommendations for the review next month, said the person familiar with the matter, ahead of a more formal decision on the review’s outcome by Hegseth in November.