Hegseth Warns NATO Allies: Increase Defense Spending or Face Shift in Cooperation

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth pressured NATO and European allies again today, stating that countries failing to significantly increase defense spending will face a 'clear shift in the way we cooperate.' According to AFP, NATO members promised last year to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP, but many now admit it will be difficult to meet this target. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth said, 'For too long, polite requests for our European allies to increase defense spending have gone unheeded.' He noted in his speech, 'They are finally starting to catch up. Allies who refuse to step up and take responsibility for collective defense will face a clear shift in the US cooperation model.' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this month that as Washington shifts its focus to other threats and European nations strengthen their own defense capabilities, NATO may face a reduction in US troops stationed in Europe. Regarding Asia, Hegseth reiterated that regional security has been 'over-reliant on US military power for too long, while many allies and partners have allowed their own defense capabilities to decline.' He pointed out that many countries in the Asia-Pacific region are indeed strengthening their military, specifically naming South Korea, saying, 'South Korea continues to invest in defense because they cannot afford to treat war as a theoretical exercise.' Hegseth also praised the defense spending policies of Australia, the Philippines, and Japan.