Bratislava: The United States has no intention of leaving North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and thousands of American troops remain actively engaged in alliance missions, U.S. Secretary of State and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Marco Rubio said on Sunday.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico following their meeting in Bratislava, Rubio dismissed speculation about a potential U.S. withdrawal from NATO amid reports of a reduction in American military units stationed in Europe.
“We’re not leaving NATO. We might redeploy a couple thousand soldiers from one country to another, but that’s always been the case,” Rubio stated, emphasizing that troop adjustments are part of routine strategic planning.
He further noted that Washington views the growing influence of European members within the alliance as a positive development, underlining that the United States seeks a partnership of equals. “We’re not asking Europe to be a vassal of the United States. We want to be partners, to work with Europe,” he added.
Earlier this week, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that any reduction in U.S. military presence in Europe would be gradual, pointing out that Washington aims to reorient more of its strategic focus toward Asia.
In 2025, the Pentagon withdrew a brigade from the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division from Romania, returning the troops to their permanent base in Kentucky.
At the end of 2025, the U.S. Congress approved a defense budget provision explicitly prohibiting the Pentagon from reducing American troop levels in Europe below 76,000 for more than 45 days, underscoring continued U.S. engagement in European security.
