Pete Hegseth accuses Nato countries of ‘free riding’ in combative address
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has threatened to reduce US military presence in NATO countries that fail to meet defense spending targets. In a combative address, he labeled some allies as 'free riders' and emphasized that future US support will be contingent on meeting financial commitments.
Why it matters
This represents a significant shift in US foreign policy and could destabilize the NATO alliance if member states do not increase military budgets.
Pete Hegseth: ‘It’s a review that some countries will fail, and others will pass with flying colours.’ Photograph: Virginia Mayo/AP View image in fullscreen Pete Hegseth: ‘It’s a review that some countries will fail, and others will pass with flying colours.’ Photograph: Virginia Mayo/AP Pete Hegseth Pete Hegseth accuses Nato countries of ‘free riding’ in combative address US defence secretary addresses allies in latest attempt to get Europe to raise military budgets
The article covers a hardline 'America First' approach to foreign policy, reflecting the current administration's aggressive stance on defense spending.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in