U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said the United States remains firmly committed to the alliance but expects European members to take on a larger share of defense responsibilities.

In remarks to Politico, Whitaker addressed debate within the Czech Republic over NATO obligations, emphasizing that alliance commitments must be upheld.

“Americans are not leaving Europe or the alliance,” Whitaker said, pushing back on speculation that Washington is preparing to reduce its presence on the continent.

The comments come as President Donald Trump continues pressing NATO members to meet or exceed the alliance benchmark of spending at least 2% of gross domestic product on defense. Trump has long argued that the United States has carried a disproportionate share of the security burden.

Whitaker said wealthier European nations should assume greater responsibility for conventional military readiness, allowing the United States to focus resources on other global challenges.

“We need Europe, which are very rich countries, very successful countries, to sort of take over the conventional defense,” Whitaker said. “That frees up the United States to take care of these other challenges and threats with our allies in those regions.”

He added that allies must not only increase defense budgets but also improve interoperability and joint training to ensure NATO forces can operate effectively together.

The United States continues to lead in overall defense spending within the alliance, Whitaker noted, calling for sustained political will among member states.

“The United States is not abandoning Europe,” he said. “Together we are stronger, but we expect our European allies to match that strength, be ready, and be more ca