According to a Financial Times report and multiple sources familiar with the discussions, Elbridge Colby, the U.S. under-secretary of defense for policy, has told British officials that the Trump administration wants the UK to focus more on the Euro-Atlantic region. The Pentagon’s concern centers around Britain’s planned deployment of the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier to the Indo-Pacific, a mission that was originally part of Washington’s broader strategy to deter China.
“This represents a clear strategic pivot,” said Zack Cooper, an expert on Asian security at the American Enterprise Institute. “The Biden administration wanted European partners involved in the Indo-Pacific to send a unified message to Beijing. The Trump team appears to be taking a different approach, delinking the theatres and calling for regional specialization.”
Colby has been vocal about the need for European nations to bear greater responsibility for security in their own region—especially in light of Russia’s war in Ukraine. He has also called on allies like Japan and Taiwan to significantly increase their defense spending.
In 2021, the Pentagon had lauded the UK’s deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth to the Indo-Pacific as a “historic” move. At that time, officials like Kurt Campbell, the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific coordinator, argued that European involvement in Asia was essential to counter China’s growing assertiveness. That strategy is now being reassessed.
“European military power remains limited if not stretched,” said Eric Sayers of Beacon Global Strategies. “Sending warships to the Pacific is a diplomatic luxury Europe may no longer afford.”
Despite the U.S. push, UK defense officials insist Britain will continue balancing its regional and global commitments. One official noted the UK had “always been active across the globe,” adding that it would “look after its own interests as well as partnerships around the world whether in Europe, the Middle East or the Indo-Pacific.”
The British Ministry of Defence confirmed it is “working closely with our US and Indo-Pacific allies on our carrier strike group deployment,” indicating no immediate change to the Prince of Wales mission.
As China steps up its diplomatic outreach to Europe and alliances between authoritarian powers deepen, some critics argue that security planning must remain global in scope. “The European, Middle Eastern, and Indo-Pacific theatres are more interconnected than ever,” warned one Indo-Pacific official. “Narrowing focus now could risk ignoring a rising global axis of authoritarian powers.”
The Pentagon declined to comment on the shift.
