By Daniel Michaels and Michael R. Gordon
BRUSSELS -- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ratcheted up pressure on European NATO allies, warning that the U.S. will review its military presence on the continent and would cut its payments to the alliance's operating budget if Europeans didn't meet their commitment to boost military spending.
In a confrontational address Thursday at NATO headquarters, Hegseth said that the Pentagon was launching an assessment that would last up to six months, to "examine America's force-posture and basing in Europe."
Since President Trump returned to the White House last January the U.S. has pushed Europe to assume more responsibility for its own nonnuclear defense, while the U.S. maintains its nuclear umbrella over the 32-country alliance.
The Pentagon recently announced cutbacks to its troop presence in Europe and reduced commitments to alliance battle plans in the event of a war. Those moves have drawn criticism from U.S. lawmakers, including leading Republicans who have complained that they weren't consulted and have vowed to resist further cuts.
Allied military spending is set to be a central focus of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's annual summit in Ankara, Turkey, next month.
"Make no mistake about it -- this will be a real review," Hegseth said at the opening of a twice-yearly gathering of NATO defense chiefs. "It will be designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe."
Hegseth said that if allies don't move resolutely toward a new target of spending 5% of gross domestic product on defense, agreed at NATO's summit last summer, the U.S. would cut its contribution to the organization's funding. The U.S. currently contributes 14.9% of the annual budget of roughly $5.75 billion, according to NATO. That proportion was reduced in recent years due to U.S. pressure, from 22% a decade ago.
"Going forward, our annual NATO dues will be contingent on other countries meeting their defense-spending targets," Hegseth said. "Where other allies do not spend with urgency, our dues contributions will go down. NATO will be a two-way street."
Hegseth said the administration would also press NATO allies to ensure U.S. forces have access to bases throughout the alliance and would be able to cross alliance territory when the U.S. carries out military operations in other parts of the world.
Trump "gave our allies a test: to support America when we asked for their help," Hegseth said. "And too many failed it."
While the U.K. made an airfield available for U.S. bombers in the war with Iran, Spain banned the use of its installations for the American military campaign against Tehran. The Trump administration didn't consult European nations before striking Iran.
Write to Daniel Michaels at Dan.Michaels@wsj.com and Michael R. Gordon at michael.gordon@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 18, 2026 06:29 ET (10:29 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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