US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth Criticises NATO Allies as US Europe Forces Undergo Review
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has initiated a six-month review of American forces stationed in Europe, while publicly censuring several NATO allies for insufficient defence contributions.
Speaking at a Brussels meeting of NATO defence ministers, Hegseth declared, "Some countries will fail, and others will pass with flying colours," accusing unnamed allies of "free-riding" on US security provisions. He also sharply criticised member states for imposing restrictions on assistance to US forces during the recent conflict with Iran.
This announcement follows a US decision to reduce its involvement in the NATO Force Model (NFM), the alliance's high-readiness operational contingent. Hegseth, referring to the review as "Nato 3.0", stated its purpose is to "ensure that Nato is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading" on continental security. The US insists that NATO members must increase their defence spending, particularly to reach the agreed target of 5% of national economic output (GDP), which includes 3.5% for core defence and 1.5% for related infrastructure.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte countered that European defence spending increased by €90 billion last year, an almost 20% rise, and that European nations were "already backfilling" resources reduced by the US. Details of the US reductions, reportedly including air and naval capabilities, have not been fully disclosed.
Hegseth indicated that US contributions to NATO's annual dues would be "contingent on other countries meeting their defence spending targets; where other allies do not spend with urgency, our dues contributions will go down." He added that "some of Nato's largest economies, some of our richest countries, allies that are happiest to go on about the rules-based international order and middle powers banding together, still seem to think the era of free-riding is here," without specifying which nations he meant.
The UK Defence Secretary, Dan Jarvis, attended the summit without a finalised UK defence investment plan, following his predecessor's resignation over concerns the plan was inadequate. A senior NATO official conceded that "not everything" being withdrawn by the US "can be absolutely replaced," though Rutte affirmed efforts were underway.
Previous US actions include the May announcement to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany after a dispute between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz regarding the Iran conflict. A similar plan to remove 4,000 troops from Poland was later reversed, with a promise of 5,000 new deployments. Poland's Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated the US is considering Warsaw's offer for a permanent base for US troops.
Earlier, Trump had threatened to halt all trade with Spain after its government denied the use of its air bases for attacks on Iran, where the US maintains Naval Station Rota and Morón Air Base. Rutte expects nations to present "clear, concrete and credible plans" to meet the 5% GDP defence investment goal by the Ankara summit in July.
