Hegseth Warns Some NATO Allies Will Fail US Review
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned some NATO allies will fail a US review. The review checks US military bases and forces across Europe over six months.
Hegseth spoke at a meeting of NATO defense ministers. He said it was shameful that European allies declined to let US forces use their bases to strike Iran.
The US also plans to cut NATO crisis forces and review its presence in Europe. Hegseth called for a "NATO 3.0" reboot.
He announced a $1.5 trillion US defense investment planned for 2027. NATO chief Mark Rutte said allies spent $90 billion more on defense last year.
That was a 20% rise over 2024. A NATO summit is set for July 7 to 8 in Turkey. The US is pushing allies to spend more on defense before that summit.
Klear Note — NATO is a military alliance of 32 countries led by the US. Members agree to defend each other if attacked. The US stations troops and bases across Europe.
Key Terms 4
- NATO Group of 32 countries that agree to defend each other
- defense review A six-month check of US military bases and forces in Europe
- crisis forces Military units kept ready to respond quickly to emergencies
- NATO 3.0 Hegseth's term for a major update to how NATO works