The United States has launched a major review of its military presence in Europe, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warning NATO allies that Washington expects them to take greater responsibility for the continent’s security.
Speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, Hegseth announced a six-month assessment of U.S. troop deployments across Europe. The review, he said, will examine whether America’s military footprint remains aligned with its global priorities while encouraging European nations to strengthen their own defenses.
“This will be a real review,” Hegseth told defense ministers. “Europe must take primary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe.”
Although he stopped short of announcing troop withdrawals, his remarks reinforced growing signals that Washington wants to reduce Europe’s dependence on American military power.
Hegseth also took aim at NATO members he believes have failed to meet defense spending commitments, warning that the United States would publicly and privately challenge allies who continue to lag behind.
“There are still countries that need to do more,” he said. “Friends have to be honest with friends.”
The Pentagon chief further criticized some allies for refusing to support the United States during its recent conflict with Iran, particularly countries that denied U.S. military aircraft access to their airspace or bases.
According to Hegseth, the troop review will also assess whether future U.S. military operations can rely on guaranteed basing and overflight rights from allied nations.
The announcement comes as NATO members scramble to fill gaps left by recent reductions in American contributions to the alliance’s crisis-response forces.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed that some of those cuts have already taken effect.
“The question was whether this is immediate. It is immediate,” Rutte told reporters.
The reductions are part of a broader U.S. effort to shift more defense responsibilities onto European allies as Washington prepares for the possibility of simultaneous conflicts in different regions of the world.
Belgium was among the first countries to offer additional support, pledging more F-16 fighter jets and MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones to NATO’s crisis pool.
However, European officials acknowledge that replacing certain American capabilities will not be easy.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warned that Europe still lacks key military assets such as long-range strike systems and urged a coordinated transition to avoid creating dangerous security gaps.
“It would be risky if capabilities are withdrawn before replacements are ready,” Pistorius said.
According to military figures cited by Reuters, the number of U.S. fighter jets available to NATO could fall significantly, while American drone support may be cut by half.
The review is expected to shape discussions ahead of NATO’s next summit in Ankara in July, where alliance leaders will confront growing questions about Europe’s ability to shoulder more of its own defense burden.
For many allies, the message from Washington is becoming increasingly clear: the era of relying heavily on American military power may be drawing to a close.
