The United States is reassessing its military deployments in Europe. U.S. Defense Secretary Hergsays stated on the 18th that the Pentagon has launched a six-month review of U.S. forces in Europe, the results of which will show which NATO countries meet U.S. requirements and which may not.

This statement, made during the NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels, reflects the widening divide between the United States and its European allies. The US wants NATO to assume primary responsibility for European defense more quickly, while continuing to pressure its allies on defense spending and Middle East issues.

Complete the assessment for the European mission within six months

Hegses stated that the review, led by the Pentagon, aims to ensure a "faster and more irreversible" shift in NATO towards a European-led defense mandate. He indicated that some countries will "pass with high marks," while others will "fail."

According to him, the assessment involves not only military spending commitments, but also whether allies are willing to cooperate with the United States in practical security matters.

The threshold for military spending has been raised to 3.5% of GDP.

In May of this year, Hegses stated that the United States requires its allies and partners to increase their defense spending to at least 3.5% of their GDP. Washington will prioritize working with "model allies" that meet this standard.

• The United States requires its allies to spend 3.5% of their GDP on defense.
• The assessment period for US troops stationed in Europe is 6 months.
• The United States spent approximately $845 billion on defense last year.

NATO member states pledged last year to continue increasing defense spending, a move linked to the Trump administration's long-standing demands for Europe to shoulder more security costs. Trump has recently continued to criticize NATO, arguing that Europe is too dependent on the United States for security matters.

Iran issue exacerbates friction among allies

Hegses also criticized some European allies for their reluctance to open bases to the US military in support of operations against Iran, calling it "shameful." This statement indicates that the differences between the US and Europe have extended beyond budgetary issues to include coordination in military operations in the Middle East.

According to data released by NATO, the United States remains the largest military spender within the alliance. Last year, U.S. defense spending was estimated at $845 billion, while the combined spending of the remaining NATO members was approximately $559 billion. This disparity in military spending and the imbalance in strategic division of labor remain one of the core contradictions in the current transatlantic relationship.