US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth will not attend the NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels on 12 February, an American official announced on Thursday.
Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's number three, will represent the United States at the meeting. The official, speaking anonymously, did not provide a reason for Hegseth's absence.
Last month, Donald Trump caused the most severe crisis in NATO's history since its founding in 1949 by threatening to forcibly take Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.
Initially, Trump claimed that acquiring Greenland was essential to protect US territory. However, he later abandoned the idea and began negotiations with Copenhagen and Nuuk, both of which firmly oppose any transfer of sovereignty.
In early February, NATO started planning a mission to bolster security in the Arctic. This move seeks to address concerns raised by the US President.
