Hegseth Orders a Six-Month Review of US Forces in Europe and Faults NATO Over the Iran War

United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe and criticized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for not granting the United States access to European bases during the war with Iran. He said the outcome of the review would depend on how quickly European governments take responsibility for their own defense.

Russian outlets reported the announcement prominently as confirmation that Washington intends to reconsider how its forces are positioned on the continent. In Berlin, Germany's foreign minister urged fellow Europeans not to leave Ukraine dependent on the United States, a direct response to the prospect of an American drawdown.

The review formalizes a trend that has been developing for months, an acceleration of the United States military withdrawal from Europe even as the war in Ukraine increasingly affects areas near NATO territory. It forces European states to confront a security gap they have long deferred.