WASHINGTON: US Defe­nce Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired a senior officer assigned to Nato, the Pentagon announ­ced on Tuesday, saying her removal was due to a loss of confidence in her ability to lead.

Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield is the latest in a string of top officers to be dismissed by Donald Trump’s administration, part of a rare major shakeup of senior US military leadership.

Hegseth removed Chatfield “from her position as US representative to Nato’s military committee due to a loss of confidence in her ability to lead,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.

Chatfield is a helicopter pilot by training who has previous deployments to the Pacific and Gulf in support of carrier strike group and amphibious ready group operations, according to her Nato biography.

She was also a senior military assistant to the supreme allied commander for Europe, served as the deputy US military representative to Nato’s military committee, and taught political science at the US Air Force Academy, among other positions.

Democratic lawmakers slammed her removal, with Representative Adam Smith saying “our country is less safe because of President Trump’s actions,” while Senator Jack Reed said the move was “unjustified” and “disgraceful.”

On the other hand, NBC News has reported that the US could withdraw 10,000 troops from Europe.

About 20,000 extra troops were deployed to the easter region in 2022 under former president Joe Biden, reinforcing Nato’s eastern flank after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Since taking office, President Trump has repeatedly criticised Nato and insisted that Europe take more responsibility for its defense.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025