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Pete Hegseth has previously warned that allies would face consequences if they failed to support the US.
The Pentagon is organizing a major planning session on NATO’s future next month in Poland, but several core member nations reportedly did not receive an invitation.
Powerhouses like Britain and France were left off the guest list. Baltic nations, which sit right on Russia’s doorstep, were also excluded from the gathering.
“We’re doing everything that is being asked of us,” an official from an excluded nation told Politico. “We’re trying to understand what the criteria is and what the purpose of these meetings are. Not much has been passed on to us yet.”
Rewarding model allies
The effort is led by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s top policy chief. He has gathered a smaller group of nations, known as the Bergen Group, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands.
According to Politico, American officials are using these smaller groups to reward nations that meet strict military spending targets. Denmark could soon join after agreeing to expand the American military footprint in Greenland.
Colby has argued that these focused talks will help push the broader alliance forward.
Writing on social media after an earlier session in Norway, he praised attendees as “NATO allies that are rapidly meeting their Hague spending commitments, have the scale to contribute, and are ready to get down to practical business.”
Existential threat
The White House did not respond to requests for comment, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has previously warned that allies who fail to support American interests will face clear consequences.
Reports also suggest Washington is evaluating plans for a major military reduction in Europe.
The snub leaves core allies deeply unsettled at a time when Russian aggression continues to escalate and weapons stockpiles remain dangerously low. Many fear this two-tier system will permanently fracture Western security ties.
Even invited members worry that creating an inner circle will tear the alliance apart. As one diplomat warned Politico, “If they try splitting NATO into the good ones and the bad ones, it is dangerous for the U.S. But for Europe, this is existential.”
