Hegseth pushes NATO 3.0, calls on Europe to lead its own defense

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO defense ministers in Brussels that the U.S. will launch a six‑month review of American forces in Europe to push NATO toward Europe taking primary responsibility for its defense, criticizing European allies for denying basing and overflight access. He urged a reboot of the alliance into a hard‑line, deterrence‑focused “NATO 3.0,” and cited a planned $1.5 trillion U.S. defense investment in 2027 to back the effort, while noting Washington has signaled it could scale back certain assets in a crisis to pressure allies to step up. He emphasized that Europe must lead its own defense and deter threats on the continent.