Hegseth Puts NATO on Notice, Announces Six-Month Review of U.S. Forces in Europe
Speaking at a NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a sweeping six-month review of American troop presence and basing across Europe.
Hegseth warned that future military commitments and financial contributions to the alliance will directly depend on how quickly European nations assume primary responsibility for their own conventional defense.
The Pentagon chief sharply criticized several NATO allies, calling the alliance a “paper tiger” and a “one-way street” that has focused on social policies like gender equity and climate change rather than hard power.
He also lambasted European nations that refused to assist or grant overflight and basing rights to U.S. forces during the recent war against Iran, declaring that their hesitation directly put American troops at risk.
The review intends to shift NATO toward a “NATO 3.0” model where Europe takes the lead in its own defense. To reinforce this push, the U.S. is immediately cutting the number of fighter jets, warships, and reconnaissance drones it would activate for Europe in the event of a crisis.
Hegseth made it clear that the upcoming evaluation will have real consequences for where the 80,000 U.S. troops on the continent are stationed, warning that “some countries will fail and others will pass with flying colors.”
