US Defense Minister Pete Hegseth attacked NATO allies on Thursday by announcing a six-month Pentagon-led review of his country’s forces in Europe, the outcome of which will depend on how quickly Europeans take responsibility for their own security.
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This review constituted a new surprise for European allies and Canada, who must deal with an increasingly unpredictable partner.
American civilian officials and senior officers had promised to closely coordinate their actions with the Europeans, while Washington reduces its military presence on the continent, a movement initiated in Germany, Spain and Italy after clashes between President Donald Trump and their leaders.
In recent months, Donald Trump and the Pentagon have sent contradictory signals on a possible reduction or, on the contrary, an increase in the American military footprint in Europe, while threatening to annex Greenland, an island with broad autonomy and belonging to Denmark, an ally of the United States.
Just a few weeks ago, the Trump administration indicated that it would no longer provide the same level of military support if a NATO member country were attacked.
“This will be a real review. It will be designed to ensure that NATO moves rapidly and irreversibly towards a Europe that takes charge, that takes primary responsibility for the defense of Europe,” Pete Hegseth told his NATO counterparts gathered in Brussels.
“It’s a test that some countries will fail and others will pass with flying colors,” added the Pentagon chief.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz then recalled that the allies had long known that Washington was considering one day withdrawing its troops from Europe and that they had to ensure their own security.
“We know we need to do more and we are working toward it,†Merz said.
In a fiery speech at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Pete Hegseth blasted European allies for denying US forces access to bases in Europe to launch attacks on Iran, calling the attitude “shameful.”
“These allies have endangered America’s sons and daughters, our sons and daughters, by denying them predictable access, bases and overflights that should never have been in question,” he said, adding that the review would also examine whether the The United States has full access and overflight rights “when we need them.”
While defense ministers and military officials remained silent, Hegseth launched into a diatribe against Europe’s migration and gender policies, in remarks reminiscent of those made by Vice President JD Vance in February last year that had angered many Europeans.
“Instead of tanks, fighter jets and air defense systems, the focus has been on gender equality, climate change and austerity in defense. Europe’s borders have opened wide, welfare states have expanded, defense budgets have collapsed, as has Europe’s confidence in itself and its civilization,” insisted Pete Hegseth.
It was a rare visit by the US Secretary of War to NATO headquarters, the first this year, after missing a meeting in February.
The Pentagon chief did not stay long, leaving well before the meeting ended and several hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to urge the allies to provide his country with more weapons.
Speaking to reporters at Brussels airport before returning to the United States, Hegseth said: “It was encouraging to hear country after country say, “We are going to reach our goal. We will achieve our goal.†There are still a few stragglers, and we will be clear with them during this review. HAS”
However, these inflammatory statements could create a climate of uncertainty among NATO allies, who are due to meet in Turkey early next month for a previously scheduled leaders’ summit.
