Hegseth Launches Six-Month Review of U.S. Forces in Europe

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO counterparts in Brussels on Thursday that the Pentagon will complete a six-month assessment of American forces stationed across the continent, with the explicit goal of shifting primary responsibility for European security to European governments themselves.

Hegseth described the effort as the “NATO 3.0 review” and said its conclusions would hinge on how quickly allies increase their own capabilities. The review will examine basing, fighter squadrons, bomber rotations, submarine deployments and other assets, and it will incorporate input from U.S. European Command and Congress. Officials indicated the process could finish sooner than six months if European progress proves sufficient.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of the recent U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran. Hegseth singled out several allies that declined requests for base access and overflight rights during the operation, calling the refusals “shameful” and arguing that they placed American personnel at unnecessary risk. Some governments later offered to assist with maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz after hostilities ended, but that distinction did little to soften the administration’s critique.

The remarks fit a broader pattern of pressure from the Trump administration for greater European defense spending. Last year NATO members pledged to raise outlays, and alliance data show they added roughly $90 billion in new funding—an increase of about 20 percent over 2024 levels. Hegseth nevertheless set a higher bar, repeating earlier calls for a minimum of 3.5 percent of GDP devoted to defense and signaling that Washington would prioritize cooperation with countries meeting that threshold.

European officials have pointed to concrete steps already under way: Germany’s decision to exceed the old 2 percent target, Poland’s rapid expansion of its army, and joint procurement initiatives for air defense and artillery. Yet Hegseth’s speech also faulted European governments for what he described as misplaced priorities—migration policy, gender initiatives and climate programs—over traditional military readiness. Those comments echoed earlier statements by Vice President JD Vance and drew immediate pushback from several capitals, where officials noted that recent budget increases have occurred alongside continued social spending.

The review is expected to produce recommendations on which U.S. units could be withdrawn or reallocated if European forces demonstrate they can cover critical missions. Administration officials have framed the exercise as restoring balance to an alliance they argue has long functioned as a one-way street. Critics within NATO worry that abrupt changes could weaken deterrence on the eastern flank at a moment when Russian forces remain active in Ukraine.

How the six-month assessment unfolds will depend in part on classified military judgments about European readiness and on political negotiations with Congress, which retains authority over force-structure decisions. For now, the Pentagon has signaled that the direction of travel is toward a smaller, more selective American presence on the continent, calibrated to the willingness of allies to assume greater burdens.