{"id":353004,"date":"2026-06-18T23:57:28","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T18:27:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=353004"},"modified":"2026-06-18T23:57:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T18:27:28","slug":"hegseth-slams-nato-and-middle-powers-talk-launches-europe-troop-review-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/06\/18\/hegseth-slams-nato-and-middle-powers-talk-launches-europe-troop-review-national\/","title":{"rendered":"Hegseth slams NATO and \u2018middle powers\u2019 talk, launches Europe troop review – National"},"content":{"rendered":"

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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday lashed out at NATO allies in the course of the announcement of a six-month Pentagon review of U.S. forces in Europe, saying the longer term of the alliance relied on others stepping up their defence spending.<\/p>\n

He also appeared to take a veiled dig at recent remarks made by Prime Minister Mark Carney about middle powers needing to band together.<\/p>\n

Hegseth, addressing defence ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, said the goal of the review was to prompt Europe to do more while ensuring the U.S. military would have the opportunity to satisfy its global commitments. He added that NATO needed to return to \u201ca hard-edged warfighting organization focused on Europe\u2019s defence,\u201d after a long time of \u201cfree riding\u201d by non-U.S. allies.<\/p>\n

Although Hegseth didn\u2019t mention Canada or some other country by name, his remarks appeared to allude to Carney\u2019s speech on the World Economic Forum in January while criticizing allies that \u201chave yet to indicate a reputable path\u201d to meeting their NATO spending commitments.<\/p>\n

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\u201cA few of NATO\u2019s largest economies, a few of the richest countries, allies which are happiest to go on concerning the rules-based international order and middle powers banding together, still appear to think the era of free riding is here,\u201d Hegseth said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t what the president or America expects from this alliance. This is just not what any reasonable person would expect, and it\u2019s not going to chop it anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carney said during his speech: \u201cOur view is the center powers must act together because if we\u2019re not on the table, we\u2019re on the menu.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Trump administration has voiced frustration with Canada in recent months for not clearly showing the way it plans to achieve NATO\u2019s latest goal of spending no less than five per cent of GDP on defence by 2035, including 3.5 per cent on \u201ccore\u201d military capabilities.<\/p>\n

Soon after the U.S. paused a joint defence review board with Canada last month, a senior Pentagon official said Canada hasn\u2019t made \u201cthe hard decisions and tradeoffs needed\u201d to be a \u201ccredible\u201d military partner.<\/p>\n

The official added Canada \u201chas yet to articulate a path to achieve NATO\u2019s latest defense spending targets,\u201d and that talks meant to supply a transparent motion plan for increasing military readiness have broken down.<\/p>\n

Defence Minister David McGuinty has pushed back on that criticism, pointing to past spending announcements that finally brought Canada to NATO\u2019s old goal of two per cent this yr, in addition to future procurement plans that he said will get Canada to 5 per cent on schedule.<\/p>\n

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Global News has asked McGuinty\u2019s office for comment on Hegseth\u2019s remarks. The minister attended the NATO ministers\u2019 meeting and was on account of travel to Luxembourg on Friday.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tReview could lead on to U.S. troop, spending cuts\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Hegseth on Thursday also echoed criticisms by U.S. President Donald Trump and other administration officials that some NATO allies wouldn\u2019t allow U.S. forces to make use of their airbases within the opening days of the war with Iran, and were otherwise slow to supply assistance.<\/p>\n

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The defence minister called those decisions \u201cshameful\u201d and said they \u201cput America\u2019s little children, our little children, in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n

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He told his NATO counterparts that the six-month review will improve U.S. force posture and basing in Europe, while incentivizing allies to \u201cstep up and do their part.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMake no mistake about it, this will likely be an actual review,\u201d he said. \u201cIt would be designed to be certain that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping as much as take primary responsibility for the defence of Europe.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a review that some countries will fail, and others will pass with flying colors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hegseth added that U.S. \u201cdues\u201d to NATO \u2014 likely referring to allies\u2019 shares of common funding to NATO capabilities<\/a> \u2014 will likely be \u201ccontingent on other countries meeting their defence spending targets.\u201d<\/p>\n

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