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Shanahan Travels to Munich After NATO Meetings

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After visiting Afghanistan and Iraq on his first overseas trip since taking office, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan spent two days in Brussels, meeting with his NATO counterparts.

Shanahan then traveled to Germany for the Munich Security Conference.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan walks down steps of a plane.
Shanahan Arrival
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan arrives in Munich, Feb. 14, 2019.
Photo By: Lisa Ferdinando, DOD
VIRIN: 140219-D-BN624-0514C

Watch Shanahan's Remarks at Munich Security Conference
04:40
Play

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan speaks from behind a lectern.
NATO News Conference
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan holds a news conference during a two-day defense ministerial at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Feb. 14, 2019.
Photo By: Lisa Ferdinando, DOD
VIRIN: 190214-D-BN624-0567A
Defense ministers sit at curved tables in a large meeting room.
Meeting Room
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan and other NATO defense ministers attend the final day of a two-day conference at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Feb. 14, 2019.
Photo By: Lisa Ferdinando, DOD
VIRIN: 140219-D-BN624-0505
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan talks to Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti with people in the background.
Shanahan and Scaparrotti
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan talks with Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe and the commander of U.S. European Command, at a two-day NATO defense ministerial in Brussels, Feb. 13, 2019.
Photo By: Lisa Ferdinando, DOD
VIRIN: 190213-D-BN624-201C

Watch Shanahan's NATO Speech
19:38
Play

Before his visit to Belgium, Shanahan made stops in Iraq and Afghanistan where he visted troops and met with leaders.
See photos from his trip:

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While in Iraq, Shanahan discussed a broad range of defense issues with Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and met with Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve senior leaders.

In Afghanistan, Shanahan visited service members and met with President Ashraf Ghani and other leaders. He praised the sacrifices made by Afghan and coalition troops and reaffirmed the United States' continued support to Afghan forces as they lead the fight to defend their country.

Patrick M. Shanahan stands and speaks at a lectern.
Shanahan Remarks
Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan speaks before presenting the Spirit of Service award to 34 civilians being recognized for their contribution to the Defense Department during a ceremony at the Pentagon, May 10, 2018. The awards ceremony is part of the annual Public Service Recognition Week. DoD photo by Army Sgt. Amber I. Smith
Photo By: Army Sgt. Amber I. Smith, DOD
VIRIN: 180510-D-SV709-0149Z
Shanahan's Page
Dozens of men sit around a large circular table in a meeting room.
NATO Meeting
Czech Republic Gen. Petr Pavel, chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Military Committee, delivers remarks at the 178th Military Committee in Chiefs of Defense Session at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Jan. 16, 2018. DoD photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Dominique A. Pineiro
Photo By: Petty Officer 1st Class Dominique A. Pineiro
VIRIN: 180116-D-PB383-001B
NATO
Acting defense secretary and NATO secretary general shake hands in front of a U.S. flag.
Photo Op
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at Pentagon, Jan. 28, 2019.
Photo By: Army Sgt. Amber I. Smith, DOD
VIRIN: 190128-D-SV709-0138Y
U.S.-NATO: 70-Year Bond
Marines hike across the flat landscape of Iceland as mountains loom in the distance.
Cold Weather Training
Marines hike to a cold-weather training site in Iceland, Oct. 19, 2018, during Trident Juncture, a NATO training exercise.
Photo By: Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Menelik Collins
VIRIN: 181019-M-PR541-599C
Quiz: Do You Know NATO?

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