US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO Thursday the Pentagon will review its force presence in Europe within the next six months, as Washington pressures allies to step up their defenses amid anger over their response to the Iran war.

“This will be a real review. It will be designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe,” Hegseth told a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.

This move comes amid growing indications that Washington may reassess its global military deployment, as part of the US administration’s push to place greater responsibility for regional security on its allies.

In recent years, the United States has repeatedly called on European countries to increase their defense spending and strengthen their military capabilities, arguing that the escalating security threats on the continent require a greater European contribution to collective defense.

The move also coincides with growing debate within NATO about the future of European security arrangements in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine and escalating tensions with Russia.

Some European allies fear that any repositioning of US forces could weaken Western deterrence capabilities, while Washington maintains that any potential review aims to improve the allocation of military resources and enhance the readiness of US forces to meet global security challenges. (AFP/EIR)