US defence secretary James Mattis tells UK counterpart Michael Fallon that defence ties were the ‘bedrock of our security’

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

James Mattis, the new US defence secretary, has reassured his British counterpart that Washington has an “unshakeable commitment” to Nato, despite Donald Trump previously casting the military alliance as obsolete.



During a phone call with Michael Fallon on his first full day in office, Mattis “emphasized the United States’ unshakeable commitment to Nato”, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said in a statement.

Ahead of his inauguration, Trump told two European newspapers he had long warned that Nato had “problems.”

“Number one, it was obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago,” he said, referring to its Cold War, post-World War II origins.

“Number two, the countries aren’t paying what they’re supposed to pay.”

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Trump said in his inaugural address on Friday that the United States had “subsidised the armies of other countries”, highlighting a common cause of friction in the 28-nation alliance.

In response to Trump’s remarks, German chancellor Angela Merkel warned that Europe has to take responsibility for itself.

During his phone call with Fallon, Mattis also “emphasised the United States and the United Kingdom will always enjoy a uniquely close relationship, reflected in our defense ties which are a bedrock of US security”, according to his spokesman.

As Theresa May prepared to visit Washington on Friday, the White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the special relationship between Britain and the US “can always be closer”.

Trump was “excited” about meeting the prime minister and would have a “great conversation” about the potential for trade with the UK, Spicer said on Monday.



The Prime Minister will become the first foreign leader to meet the new president for talks reflecting what Spicer said were the historic ties between the UK and the US.

“I think we have always had that special relationship with Britain and that reflects in the prime minister’s first visit here,” Spicer said.

“He’s had a great conversation with her and he looks forward to having her here but we can always be closer.”

