USA 🔗 Part of: Tremors from the Middle East (64) · 22 Jun 2026 · 18:10 GMT ·1 min read

NATO 3.0: Hegseth Presses NATO Allies as US Initiates Force Reassessment in Europe

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a six-month Pentagon review of American military forces in Europe on June 18, 2026.

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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a six-month Pentagon review of American military forces in Europe on June 18, 2026. Speaking in Brussels, Hegseth criticized NATO allies for denying US forces base access during recent operations against Iran. He labeled the refusal shameful and linked future US presence to European security spending. The administration has described the desired outcome as a 'NATO 3.0' model.

Context

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established in 1949. Article 5 of the treaty forms the basis of collective defense, though the specific military contributions of members remain subject to national policy.

Supportive perspectives

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth maintains that the review is necessary to ensure European nations assume primary responsibility for their own regional defense.
The administration is pushing for a transition to a NATO 3.0 model intended to shift primary responsibility for European defense to European member states.
The US government argues that European allies must provide more predictable base access and overflight rights to support US military objectives.

Critical perspectives

European allies pushed back against Hegseth's characterization of base-access denials as 'shameful,' with NPR noting his remarks echoed those of Vice President JD Vance in February 2025 that 'angered many Europeans,' suggesting the friction predates the Iran operations.
Hegseth's Brussels speech broadened beyond defense spending to criticize European domestic policies on migration and gender equality, a move critics argue conflates unrelated political grievances with legitimate alliance burden-sharing concerns.