Hegseth renews Nato criticism and says US will review presence in Europe

June 18, 2026

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a six-month review of American military presence in Europe, warning that some NATO allies would fail the assessment he calls "NATO 3. 0" for allegedly free-riding on security commitments. The review comes as the US demands member states demonstrate concrete plans to reach a new defense spending target of 5% of GDP by 2035, while simultaneously reducing its own contributions to NATO's rapid response forces.

Who is affected

NATO member states, particularly those not meeting defense spending targets
US military forces currently stationed in Europe
Germany (facing withdrawal of 5,000 US troops)
Poland (initially facing troop withdrawal, later reversed with promise of 5,000 troops)
Spain (threatened with trade halt over air base access restrictions)
UK Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis (attending without a completed defense investment plan)
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte
European populations relying on NATO security guarantees

What action is being taken

The US is conducting a six-month review of US forces presence in Europe
The US is scaling back commitments to NATO's high readiness force (Nato Force Model), including air and naval capabilities
NATO members are increasing defense spending (€90bn increase last year, almost 20% rise)
Europeans are "backfilling" resources that the US is cutting back
Dan Jarvis is "working around the clock" to complete the UK's defense investment plan
Poland is offering to provide a permanent base for US troops

Why it matters

This represents a fundamental shift in the transatlantic security relationship that has underpinned European defense since World War II. The US withdrawal from NATO readiness commitments and conditional approach to alliance participation creates uncertainty about America's reliability as a security guarantor at a time when European nations face heightened threats. The pressure for drastically increased defense spending (5% of GDP) would require massive budgetary reallocation in European countries, potentially affecting domestic priorities and economic stability. This reconfiguration could force Europe to assume primary responsibility for its own defense more rapidly than anticipated, testing whether the continent can effectively organize collective security without full US backing.

What's next

NATO members must present clear, concrete, and credible plans to reach 5% GDP defense spending by 2035, ideally ahead of the agreed timeline
Allies will highlight their commitments at the Ankara summit on July 7-8
Poland and the US will finalize details on a potential permanent US troop base agreement
Dan Jarvis will complete the UK's defense investment plan
The six-month US review of European force presence will conclude with determinations of which countries "pass" or "fail"

Read full article from source: BBC