Pentagon Signals Reduced U.S. Role in Baltic Security as Russia Tests NATO

Pentagon officials privately told European diplomats in late August that the United States plans to scale back some security assistance to Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, all NATO members bordering Russia.

According to officials familiar with the meeting, Pentagon representative David Baker urged Europe to become less dependent on Washington, stressing that under President Donald Trump, the U.S. military would shift its focus toward homeland defense and other priorities.

European diplomats expressed concern the move could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin fears that appeared justified on Friday when Estonia reported Russian MiG‑31 jets violated its airspace for nearly 10 minutes before being intercepted by Italian F‑35s. Moscow denied the claim, insisting its aircraft flew over neutral waters. Hours later, Poland said Russian jets buzzed a Polish oil platform, following last week’s incident in which Polish forces downed Russian drones.

The U.S. response has been muted. Trump waited several hours before commenting on the Estonian incursion, later warning it could be “big trouble.” After the earlier Polish drone episode, he posted cryptically on Truth Social: “Here we go!”

Analysts say the pattern reflects a shift in Trump’s foreign policy. After months of proposing solutions to global conflicts, he has pulled back from direct diplomacy, pressing allies to take the lead while offering only distant assurances of U.S. support. In recent weeks, his attention has turned inward, focusing on domestic crime, left‑wing extremism, and immigration reforms.