Hegseth: “Europe and NATO Have Major Decisions to Make. You’ll Find Out Soon”
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tore into European allies at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, warning that "significant decisions" about European security are coming and telling NATO members they would find out what those decisions are "soon."
Speaking at Asia's premier defense forum, Hegseth accused European nations of ignoring calls to spend more on defense "for far too long" and told them to "stop the preaching." He said Western Europe could learn from Asian partners, who he praised for understanding that sustainable alliances are built on national interest, not idealistic values.
"Stop the preaching," Hegseth told European allies, warning "significant decisions" about European security are coming "soon."
"When our interests converge, we act together with resolve. When our interests diverge, we adapt with realism, without drama, and without lecturing," Hegseth said, adding pointedly that he believed Western Europe could take a lesson from that approach.
The Pentagon chief also took aim at what he called European capitals adopting "hollow globalist rhetoric about a rules-based international order" while simultaneously opening their borders wide and hollowing out their militaries. He acknowledged that European allies are now beginning to make up lost ground on defense spending, but made clear Washington's patience had limits.
Hegseth's remarks come as Trump has been pressing NATO allies to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP, a target he successfully pushed members to commit to, while also signaling his intention to reduce the U.S. military footprint in Europe. The tensions between Washington and its European partners have also intensified over Europe's refusal to back Trump's military campaign against Iran, which began on February 28 without prior consultation with allies, according to To Vima.
On Iran, Hegseth said U.S. munitions stockpiles are "more than sufficient" and that the country can "do two things at once," pledging to rapidly scale up weapons production. He described Trump as "patient" and said the president is pursuing a "big deal" to ensure Iran never acquires nuclear weapons. Trump said Friday he would meet in a secure White House room to make a "final decision" on a proposal to extend the early-April ceasefire by 60 days to allow negotiators more time to reach a permanent settlement.
