From Central Europe, Rubio Rejects NATO Exit Talk, Calls For Stronger European Role

"We're not leaving NATO. We're not leaving.... We may move a couple thousand troops from one country to another, but this has always been the case," Rubio said, playing down speculation that redeployments signal a broader shift."

""Every time we say this, people go crazy. They think that means you're going to abandon NATO, you're going to abandon your allies," Rubio said, adding: "The point we're making is that the stronger our allies are, the stronger we are collectively.""

""We are not threatened or feel that it's hostile to see NATO grow in its own capabilities, not independent of the United States, [but] in conjunction with the United States," he said."

""We're not asking Europe to be a vassal of the United States. We want to be your partner," he said."

Washington firmly rejected fears of a US retreat from NATO despite recent troop adjustments and redeployments in Europe. US troop levels in Europe typically fluctuate between 80,000 and 100,000 because of operations, training, and rotational deployments. In fall 2025, soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division deployed in Romania were redeployed without replacement. Calls for higher European defense spending were framed as efforts to strengthen NATO collectively rather than signals of abandonment. The goal is to bolster European military capabilities in conjunction with US forces and to pursue partnership rather than European dependence on the United States.

Read at RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty