Hegseth expected to follow Rubio in skipping NATO ministers' meeting

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is not expected to attend a NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels next month, two sources said, the second time in a row that a top Trump administration official skips a gathering of the military alliance.



U.S. President Donald Trump has had a tense relationship with NATO and many of its other members, most recently over his desire to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of fellow alliance member Denmark. The sources, a U.S. official and a NATO diplomat, both said Hegseth would miss the Feb 12 gathering at NATO headquarters.



U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not attend the last NATO foreign ministers' meeting in December. The two sources did not cite any reason for Hegseth's decision. The Pentagon and NATO declined to comment.