US commitment to NATO 'iron-clad': Mattis
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Tuesday sought to reassure European allies rattled by President Donald Trump's rhetoric, insisting that America's commitment to NATO is "iron-clad".
At a press conference in Paris, Mattis said "actions speak loudest", adding: "The US has acted, showing that our commitment to the transatlantic alliance remains iron-clad."
He stressed that US lawmakers have not cut military spending in Europe "by a single cent, instead maintaining once again the highest levels of commitment since the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall".
Some NATO members are concerned about Trump's commitment to the alliance and have bristled at his repeated criticism of European allies for not spending enough on their militaries, particularly Germany.
Parly, speaking alongside Mattis at the French defence ministry, told reporters that "Europe is not part of the problem, Europe is part of the solution".
"The United States is making sharing the burden a priority. It is also a French ...