Pentagon questions NATO allies on support for US policy in alliance review

The Pentagon has circulated a questionnaire to NATO allies asking whether they are publicly supportive of US foreign policy priorities and aligned with the Trump administration's approach to the transatlantic alliance. The three-page document, titled "Questions for NATO Allies & Other Key Stakeholders," was obtained from an official who received it. It also asks about restrictions on US access to bases and military flights over allied territory.

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The questions appear to be part of an ongoing six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe. According to the document, officials are seeking to assess whether allies have endorsed the administration's "NATO 3.0" concept, which calls for European members to take on more responsibility for their own defence with more limited US support. One question asks whether the country has shown alignment with the US approach to be "strong, clear, and quiet," a phrase used by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in a speech in Singapore in May.

The document also points to tensions linked to the US-Israel war on Iran. It asks whether allies have placed restrictions on US access to bases and military flights, and whether they are willing to reduce or remove those limits. The questionnaire says several European countries imposed such restrictions after the war began on 28 February.

That detail suggests the review is not only about military posture in Europe, but also about how allies respond to wider US operations. The development matters because it touches on the political tone of the NATO alliance as well as its military arrangements. NATO is formally a collective defence pact focused on the Euro-Atlantic area, but the questionnaire indicates Washington is also testing how far allies will support US positions on issues beyond that remit.

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A senior defence official from a NATO ally said the administration was confusing NATO topics with unilateral US military operations, adding that the alliance has nothing to do with the Middle East. The questionnaire comes amid a broader push by the Trump administration to press European allies to shoulder more of the burden for their own defence. That debate has been central to transatlantic relations for years, but the document suggests the Pentagon is now using a formal review to measure political as well as military alignment.

Bloomberg News had previously reported parts of the questionnaire, while the newly obtained document adds further detail about the scope of the questions. What remains unclear is how NATO governments will respond, whether the questionnaire will shape the final outcome of the US force review, and how directly the answers will affect future access arrangements or deployments. It is also not clear how many allies have already received the document or whether any have formally replied.

The next stage to watch is whether the review leads to changes in US force posture in Europe or to further friction over alliance expectations and support for US operations elsewhere.

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