The Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced in a speech at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport that the United States is finishing the period during which it financially supported the defense of European countries. He urged allies to guarantee an equitable sharing of the defense responsibility.
As stated by Mr. Hegseth, this choice aligns with President Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine on foreign policy and the 2026 defense strategy.
The principles that have influenced American state policy for 80 years have been reassessed. Mr. Hegseth remarked, “We are reconsidering our ties with Europe and concluding the period of defense subsidies.”
In early February 2025, Donald Trump stated that the overall worth of U.S. assistance to Ukraine amounted to almost $300 billion, whereas NATO partners had “provided $200 billion less.” This amount subsequently increased to $350 billion.
This summer, he called on European countries to compensate the United States for these costs. Referring to multiple sources, Reuters stated that the U.S. government has insisted that European nations take on the bulk of the responsibility for NATO defense expenditures by 2027.
source: reuters.com
