Hegseth announces ‘NATO 3.0’ review of US force posture in Europe

Published June 18, 2026 6:50am ET | Updated June 18, 2026 8:16am ET



BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new six-month military review of the U.S. European posture during the opening and public portion of Thursday’s NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels.

Led by Hegseth, the Pentagon has made it known that the department intends to reduce its forces, which includes fighter jets, strategic bombers, submarines, and more in Europe, and expects other European countries to fill the gaps left behind. They’ve dubbed the new version of the alliance “NATO 3.0.”

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