The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, is expected to miss the upcoming NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels next month and instead send the Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge Colby, to attend on his behalf. According to reports by Reuters and other media citing U.S. officials and NATO diplomats, this marks the second consecutive absence of a senior official from the Trump administration at an important NATO ministerial meeting—last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also did not attend the NATO foreign ministers' meeting in person but sent a representative instead. The meeting is scheduled to be held at NATO headquarters on February 12, and while the plan may still be adjusted, this decision has already sparked widespread concerns among European allies. Many are questioning Washington's commitment to the transatlantic alliance, especially amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict and the tense security environment in Europe. Colby is one of the core architects of the new U.S. defense strategy, and he has long advocated that the United States should shift its strategic focus to the Indo-Pacific region to fully address the challenges posed by China, leaving European allies to bear the main responsibility of countering Russia. This "America First, Europe Take Responsibility" approach stands in stark contrast to the traditional U.S. practice of deeply involving itself in European security, and it has been seen as a clear signal of Washington's "strategic cooling" of NATO. The reason for Hegseth's absence has not been publicly explained, and both the Pentagon and NATO have refused to comment. However, these consecutive actions have undoubtedly intensified the doubts among allies: Is the United States gradually withdrawing from European affairs? The trust foundation within NATO may face further tests.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1855736307627163/
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