Hegseth blasts NATO members, announces review of US forces in Europe

Jun 18, 2026

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte talk to the media on the day of a meeting of NATO defence ministers at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov — Stoyan Nenov

BRUSSELS, June 18 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Thursday harshly criticised some NATO members over defence spending and their stances on the Iran war as he announced a review of U.S. military forces in Europe.

"It's a review that some countries will fail, and others will pass with flying colors," Hegseth told NATO defence ministers gathered for a meeting at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart, Sabine Siebold and Lili Bayer; Editing by Andrw Gray)