“Now it’s time to march out together, to be pragmatic,” Colby told reporters, calling for a “3.0 NATO” that is “based on partnership rather than dependency, and really a return to what NATO is originally intended for.” In prepared remarks, he said, “We want partnerships, not dependencies,” and argued that Europe must assume “primary responsibility for its own conventional defence.”
Colby said the United States remains committed to NATO’s collective defence while reprioritizing strategic focus in line with the National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy. “We will continue to provide the U.S. extended nuclear deterrent,” he said, adding that Washington will also continue, “in a more limited and focused fashion,” to provide conventional capabilities that contribute to NATO’s defence.
He framed the shift as an adaptation to what he described as a changed strategic environment in which “Power politics has returned, and military force is again being employed at a large scale.” Colby said, “Europe must assume primary responsibility for its own conventional defence,” calling it “a conclusion grounded in a clear-eyed and rigorous assessment of the strategic environment we face as well as a pragmatic evaluation of the capabilities at our disposal.”
President Trump has long pressed European allies to increase defence spending, and NATO leaders last year agreed to raise spending targets to 5 percent of GDP. Colby said that after the Hague Summit commitments in 2025, “the turning of the tide has happened,” but added that “the great task before us in 2026 and beyond is to turn that recognition into durable and real results.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte signaled support for Washington’s message, saying of the United States, “They have to take care of the whole world. This is the United States,” and adding, “I totally accept it, agree with it.” He dismissed concerns over Hegseth’s absence, saying, “We were very fortunate to have Bridge Colby,” describing him as “a leading thinker on the role of the U.S. in NATO.”
“He has been a consistent force over the years for Europe and Canada to really step up, when it comes to defence spending,” Rutte said. Addressing tensions between Trump and European leaders, including disputes over Greenland, Rutte said, “You will always have debates and discussions within NATO,” adding, “I can assure you, it will be very boring if it wasn’t the case.”
Colby said the United States would continue to “train, exercise, and plan alongside our allies” and remain ready to fulfill its obligations under Article 5, but stressed that “we will also continue to press, respectfully but firmly and insistently, for a rebalancing of roles and burdens within the Alliance.” He concluded that if Europe embraces primary responsibility for its defence, “the Alliance will emerge stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for the challenges ahead.”
