US will review its military presence in Europe, Hegseth tells NATO
Summary
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon will review its military presence in Europe within six months. This review aims to ensure Europe takes primary responsibility for its own defense, after some European countries limited US military access during the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.Key Facts
- The US will conduct a full review of its military forces stationed in Europe over the next six months.
- The review is intended to shift more defense responsibility to European NATO members.
- Some European countries restricted US military access to bases during the US-Israeli war on Iran.
- Hegseth called these restrictions “shameful” and said they put American troops at risk.
- NATO itself is not directly involved in the Iran conflict but focuses on defending member countries.
- The US will link its payment of NATO's operating costs (about $790 million in 2026) to whether allies meet defense spending targets.
- Many NATO members have increased their defense budgets, with a nearly 20% rise in Europe and Canada’s spending in 2025 compared to 2024.
- The US wants Europe to reach a goal of spending 5% of their GDP on defense-related costs.
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