Lithuania says it has prepared response to Trump's loyalty questionnaire

Lithuania's Defence Ministry announced on Thursday that the country has finalised its response to a questionnaire sent by the United States, designed to gauge NATO allies' support for President Donald Trump's foreign policy approach. Darius Jauniškis, Lithuania's ambassador to NATO, had earlier told LRT that the response was ready and predicted it would "really please" Washington.

The Defence Ministry declined to share the contents of the exchange, describing it as a bilateral matter between Lithuania and the United States that is not intended for public disclosure. Edvinas Česnulis, spokesman for Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas, said Lithuania is consistently regarded as an exemplary ally, citing both the high standard of services and living conditions it provides to allied troops and the responsibility it takes for the security of both Lithuania and the broader NATO alliance.

What the questionnaire asks

The survey, sent to NATO members and reviewed by Bloomberg News, poses a series of questions meant to measure countries' backing of Trump's policy direction. It asks whether a country has publicly voiced support for US foreign policy, what limits it has placed on US forces' use of its military bases, and whether it spends money with US defence contractors.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported that the questionnaire has triggered a strongly negative response from some allies, who see it as pressure to prove ideological loyalty in return for continued US protection.

The move comes as the Trump administration conducts a review of the US military footprint in Europe. Bloomberg reported that Washington is expected to substantially cut troop numbers and military hardware in the region by December. According to Bloomberg, tying US commitments to allies to ideological alignment could significantly reshape transatlantic relations.