Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a six-month Pentagon review of U.S. forces in Europe, ramping up pressure on European North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies.
The review will reportedly “examine America’s force posture and basing in Europe.”
Hegseth warns that cuts in the alliance’s operating budget depend on whether European allies meet their defense-spending targets.
“Where other allies do not spend with urgency, our dues contributions will go down. NATO will be a two-way street.”
“This will be a real review. It will be designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe, leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe,” Hegseth told NATO defense ministers in a confrontational address in Brussels.
Hegseth Shames NATO Allies For Role In "Operation Epic Fury"
“These allies, they put America’s sons and daughters, our sons and daughters, at risk by denying them the predictable access, basing and overflight that never should have been in question at all,” Hegseth affirmed, calling NATO allies’ refusal to partake in “Operation Epic Fury” shameful.
Allies Must Take The Wheel In Their Continent's Defense
Secretary Hegseth asserted that NATO allies must take the wheel in defending their own continent and work towards shaping NATO into “a real hard-line military alliance.”
During the address, Hegseth warned that if allies don’t work towards a new target of spending 5% of gross domestic product on defense, the U.S. would slash its contribution to the organization’s funding.
According to NATO, the U.S. currently contributes 14.9% of the annual budget, roughly $5.75 billion, down from 22% back in 2016.
Hegseth Calls For NATO 3.0
The Defense Secretary also called for an updated version of the alliance, naming it “NATO 3.0,” capable of deterring any threat.
“NATO 3.0 is post-Cold War recognition that [NATO] needs to go back to a real hard-line military alliance that has real military capabilities capable of deterring right here on the continent and taking the lead for the conventional defense of Europe,” Hegseth said.
