Empty Seat: U.S. Absent as Western Powers Meet on Wartime Protections for Civilians A multinational group meets this week at NATO headquarters in Belgium to discuss protections for civilians during combat. Even though the U.S. co-founded this effort, no American delegation will be in the room. by Hannah Allam and Megan Rose September 10, 2026, 7:00 am

Empty Seat: U.S. Absent as Western Powers Meet on Wartime Protections for Civilians A multinational group meets this week at NATO headquarters in Belgium to discuss protections for civilians during combat. Even though the U.S. co-founded this effort, no American delegation will be in the room. by Hannah Allam and Megan Rose September 10, 2026, 7:00 am https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-hegseth-dod-nato-civilian-harm-reduction-absent Three years ago, the Defense Department led an ambitious international effort to better protect civilians during combat, a movement built on the bloody lessons of Afghanistan and Iraq.