The few remaining US service personnel stationed at NAS Keflavik, Iceland left Sept. 30, following the US decision March 30 to close its base there. US military personnel will continue to train and work with Icelandic forces, and Iceland remains under the US and NATO defense umbrella.
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.