U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced a Pentagon review of U.S. force posture and basing in Europe during an address in Brussels [1].
The move signals a shift in how Washington manages its security commitments, tying the presence of American troops to the financial contributions and operational cooperation of NATO allies.
Hegseth said the review will be conducted within the next six months [1]. Hegseth said the U.S. is doubling down on its effort to make NATO a balanced alliance with Europe leading its own defense [4].
Central to the review is the level of European military spending. Hegseth said that the level of Washington's contributions to the alliance budget will be contingent on European military spending [6]. Some reports describe this approach as a "NATO 3.0 reboot" [5], while others characterize it as a threat to cut funding if spending does not increase [2].
Beyond financial obligations, the U.S. is seeking greater operational flexibility. Hegseth said it is shameful that European allies refuse to grant U.S. forces access to bases across Europe to conduct strikes against Iran [7].
The Pentagon's review comes as the U.S. pressures allies to take more ownership of regional security. By linking basing and budget to these demands, the U.S. is leveraging its military footprint to secure both financial commitments and strategic access [2, 3].
“The level of Washington's contributions to the alliance budget will be contingent on European military spending.”
This policy shift indicates a transition toward a transactional security model. By linking force posture and budget contributions to specific demands—namely increased spending and base access for operations against Iran—the U.S. is utilizing its military presence as leverage to reshape the NATO alliance's cost-sharing and strategic utility.
