Rutte goes "Musk mode": NATO staff cuts spark comparisons to DOGE overhaul

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is implementing a significant internal restructuring of the alliance, cutting dozens of positions and eliminating two entire divisions at its Brussels headquarters.

The effort, confirmed by multiple NATO officials and first reported by POLITICO, marks the biggest shake-up under Rutte’s leadership since he took office in October 2024, replacing Jens Stoltenberg.

The reorganisation includes the dissolution of the Public Diplomacy Division, which serves as NATO’s press office, and the Executive Management Division, responsible for human resources. Their duties will be redistributed among the remaining six divisions. Assistant secretaries-general heading these units — appointed by the secretary-general with input from NATO member states—will also be removed. One of them, France’s Marie-Doha Besancenot, left her role in March and was not replaced. Italy’s Carlo Borghini, who currently leads the Executive Management Division, is also expected to step down.

Though the exact number of job cuts remains unclear, one official noted the total would not be dramatically high, and some positions may be replaced or converted. The restructuring, insiders say, is a deliberate process aimed at increasing efficiency, unlike the abrupt mass firings under the US federal government’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative earlier this year, which the overhaul has been informally compared to.

“This is something that happens when you have a new secretary-general,” said a former senior NATO official, noting that Rutte’s changes are informed by deep institutional knowledge. “It’s a much more long-term, deliberate process than DOGE.”

NATO currently employs around 4,000 people, including 1,500 international staff under Rutte’s oversight. Many of these roles are temporary and filled by younger professionals on short-term contracts. Rutte’s reforms are also expected to reduce the number of these “temps” in favour of more permanent positions, improving continuity and effectiveness.

“There’s been talk about reducing reliance on high-turnover staffing for years,” the same former official said. “These are very talented and dedicated people. Hopefully, they’ll have a chance to apply for full-time contracts, especially since they already have security clearances.”

Rutte, the former Dutch prime minister, has been seen as a key figure in maintaining unity within NATO amid rising geopolitical instability and uncertainty over the US’s long-term commitment under President Donald Trump. Often referred to as a “Trump whisperer” for his diplomatic rapport with the American leader, Rutte faces the challenge of convincing Trump and other allies of NATO’s continued value and adaptability.

The overhaul comes just ahead of a high-stakes NATO summit in The Hague, which Trump is expected to attend. With wars continuing in Ukraine and the Middle East, and growing pressure on Europe to shoulder more of its own defence, Rutte is likely to frame the restructuring as a move to make NATO more agile and cost-effective.

Alexander Mattelaer, a transatlantic security expert from the Egmont Institute and VUB University, said Rutte is “reshaping the staff structure at headquarters in line with what he sees as NATO’s top priorities — namely, reinvesting in defence and doing so as efficiently as possible.” He added that the measures, though more symbolic than budget-saving, reflect deeper conversations among NATO states over allocations between civil and military budgets.

According to a senior NATO official, the changes are being made with full consultation from staff and allies. “Secretary-General Rutte is committed to an effective and efficient NATO,” the official said. “He has begun a reorganisation to optimise operations at NATO headquarters.”

By Tamilla Hasanova