Trump administration seeks end to NATO mission in Iraq

2026-02-19T15:00:48+00:00

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Shafaq News- Brussels

The United States under President Donald Trump is pressing
NATO to scale back several of its foreign operations, including a proposal to
end the alliance’s advisory mission in Iraq, NATO diplomats told Politico.

The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
indicated that the proposal reflects a broader White House effort to refocus
the alliance on Euro-Atlantic security.

A NATO official, responding on behalf of the alliance, told
Politico that there is “no timeline associated with NATO Mission Iraq,” noting
that such operations are based on operational need and subject to periodic
review. Any decision to end the deployment would require the approval of all 32
NATO members.

The alliance currently maintains a non-combat advisory
presence in Iraq aimed at strengthening the country’s security institutions and
preventing the resurgence of ISIS. The initiative was launched in 2018 during
Trump’s first term and expanded in subsequent years at Baghdad’s request.