US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called for a reboot of the 32-nation NATO organization, turning it into a “NATO 3.0” capable of deterring any threat. Hegseth made the remarks at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.

NATO 3.0 Initiative

Hegseth emphasized that NATO 3.0 is a post-Cold War recognition that the alliance needs to go back to being a real hard-line military alliance with real military capabilities. He stated that the United States would be investing $1.5 trillion in its own defense in 2027, sending a message to the world that America is building an “arsenal of freedom.”

Hegseth also noted that this arsenal first and foremost protects America and American interests but also backstops the strength of NATO and its allies. He urged European allies to take the lead in the defense of their own continent, saying they have to be willing to stand up and do something in a strong way about their own defense.

NATO’s supreme allied commander is working on backup plans to defend Europe after the US signaled that it would no longer supply certain military assets in a crisis. The US has by far NATO’s biggest armed forces and does not intend to withdraw its nuclear weapons in Europe, which are key to NATO’s deterrence.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.