What Happened
US Defense Secretary Criticizes European Partners Over Defense Spending
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced a Pentagon review of NATO allies’ performance, sparking tension with European partners. The review will assess their defense spending, military readiness, and commitment to NATO. Hegseth has criticized NATO allies for not doing enough, despite a significant increase in defense spending in 2025. The review’s outcome may impact US payments to NATO and the basing of US forces in Europe. This development was reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.