Executive Summary

After the Netherlands announced its decision to reduce intelligence sharing with the U.S. in October 2025*, Colombia and the United Kingdom followed suit. All three U.S. allies cited international law violations and fears of complicity as motivators. Also, Canada began to express reservations about intelligence cooperation with its southern neighbor, sharing Bogota and London’s stated disapproval of U.S. aggression in the Caribbean and security concerns related to Russia. 

Allies’ reconsideration of intelligence cooperation with Washington reflects a deeper pattern of erosion of trust in the current administration’s operational discipline, a sentiment that likely is shared by other traditional partners. Two potential ramifications for the U.S. are intelligence blind spots and future isolation, and we are not seeing any indications that the White House is taking meaningful steps to rebuild trust in 2026.

*In mid-October 2025, General Intelligence and Security Service (AVID) Director Erik Akerboom announced that Dutch intelligence sharing is now “case-by-case” with the U.S. According to tDutch Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) Director Peter Reesink, the decision was motivated by perceived “politicisation of intelligence and human rights violations” by the current administration in Washington. Both directors cited respect for human rights and expanding cyber threats from Russia and China as a justification. [source, source]