US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced a six-month review of American forces in Europe, citing the need for NATO allies to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe. Hegseth made the announcement during a meeting with NATO counterparts in Brussels, where he also criticized European allies for failing to provide US forces with access to bases in Europe to launch attacks on Iran.

NATO 3.0

Hegseth called for a reboot of the 32-nation organization, turning it into a “NATO 3.0” capable of deterring any threat. He emphasized that America’s allies in Europe must take the lead on the defense of their own continent and help turn NATO into a “real hard-line military alliance”. The US plans to invest $1.5 trillion in its own defense in 2027, sending a message to the world that America is building an “arsenal of freedom”.

The review comes as the US has signaled that it will no longer supply certain warships and aircraft if one of its allies comes under attack. European allies and Canada are trying to work out how to plug the gaps. NATO’s collective security guarantee, Article 5 of its founding treaty, pledges that an attack on one ally will be considered an attack on all, but it does not oblige them to provide military support.

Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.