Hegseth warns Europeans ‘realities’ of China and border threats prevent US from guaranteeing their security

A New Era of Security Realities: Hegseth’s Message to Europe

In a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a stark message to European allies during his first visit to NATO headquarters. Hegseth emphasized that the United States can no longer serve as Europe’s primary security guarantor, urging European nations to take greater responsibility for their own defense. This announcement reflects a broader strategic realignment driven by the urgent need to counter the rising threat posed by China in the Indo-Pacific region. Hegseth made it clear that the U.S. is prioritizing its own border security and geopolitical competition with China, signaling a potential drawdown of American forces in Europe. This marked a turning point in the transatlantic alliance, as European leaders were called upon to step up their defense efforts and reduce their historical reliance on the United States.

Hegseth’s remarks were delivered at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Belgium, where he underscored the growing scarcity of U.S. resources and the necessity of making tough decisions to ensure national security priorities are met. “We are focusing on the security of our own borders,” he said, adding, “We also face a peer competitor in the Communist Chinese with the capability and intent to threaten our homeland and core national interests in the Indo-Pacific.” The defense secretary stressed the importance of deterrence, stating, “Deterrence cannot fail,” and highlighted the need for a division of labor between the U.S. and its European allies, maximizing their respective comparative advantages in Europe and the Pacific.

The Call for European Leadership in Security

During his visit to NATO headquarters, Hegseth called on European allies to “take ownership of conventional security on the continent.” He emphasized that European nations must lead from the front, establishing a clearer division of labor between the U.S. and Europe. “Together, we can establish a division of labor that maximizes our comparative advantages in Europe and the Pacific, respectively,” he said. This message was reinforced during his remarks at the U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, where he stated, “The European continent deserves to be free from any aggression, but it ought to be those in the neighborhood investing the most in that defense.” Hegseth’s comments underscored the expectation that European nations should prioritize their own security, with the U.S. playing a supporting rather than leading role.

While Hegseth noted that there are currently no active plans to reduce the U.S. military presence in Europe, he made it clear that the continent should not rely on American forces as its primary security safeguard. Approximately 100,000 U.S. troops are stationed across Europe, with about a third of them based in Germany. However, the defense secretary emphasized the need for European nations to invest more in their own defense capabilities, reflecting a broader shift in U.S. policy under the Trump administration. This shift has already been evident in the bolstering of U.S. troop presence along the southern border, with an additional 1,500 troops deployed there last week, bringing the total to 3,600.

The Realities of Ukraine and NATO’s Role

Hegseth’s trip to Europe also addressed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where he expressed skepticism about Ukraine’s ability to regain its pre-2014 borders. Characterizing this goal as an “unrealistic objective,” he signaled that the U.S. does not view this outcome as achievable in the near future. His remarks also touched on the role of NATO in the conflict, stating that any European peacekeeping forces sent to support Ukraine would not fall under the protection of NATO’s Article 5 collective defense provision. Additionally, Hegseth made it clear that the U.S. does not believe Ukraine’s membership in NATO is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement, further complicating the alliance’s role in the region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, has maintained that security guarantees for Ukraine without the involvement of the United States are “not real security guarantees.” In an interview with The Guardian, Zelenskyy dismissed the idea that Europe could provide meaningful security guarantees on its own, stating, “There are voices which say that Europe could offer security guarantees without the Americans, and I always say no. Security guarantees without America are not real security guarantees.” This perspective highlights the deep-seated dependence of Ukraine and other Eastern European nations on U.S. leadership in security matters, even as Hegseth calls for greater European self-reliance.

Strategic Shifts and the Future of U.S. Troop Presence

Hegseth’s visit to Europe coincided with ongoing strategic shifts in U.S. military posture around the world. While he reiterated the U.S. commitment to maintaining a presence in Europe, he emphasized that this presence should not be taken for granted. The defense secretary noted that the U.S. is currently analyzing its global troop deployments, with a focus on ensuring that resources are allocated in a way that aligns with strategic priorities. This approach reflects the broader “defense in depth” strategy outlined by the Trump administration, which seeks to balance competing demands in Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and along the U.S. southern border.

The realignment of U.S. forces began during Trump’s first term, when thousands of troops were withdrawn from Europe as part of a broader effort to reassess military priorities. More recently, the administration has focused on bolstering the U.S. presence along the southern border, with the deployment of an additional 1,500 troops last week. These moves underscore the administration’s commitment to addressing what it sees as pressing domestic security concerns, even as it seeks to maintain its global influence. At the same time, the U.S. remains the largest contributor to NATO’s collective defense, with approximately 375,000 personnel assigned to the Indo-Pacific Command.

A Call to Action for NATO Allies

Hegseth’s visit to Europe was also an opportunity to reiterate the Trump administration’s long-standing call for NATO allies to increase their defense spending. The defense secretary echoed President Trump’s demand that NATO members boost their defense expenditures to at least 5% of their GDP, a target that only a handful of alliance members currently meet. Hegseth warned that the United States would no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship that fosters dependency, emphasizing the need for greater burden-sharing within the alliance. His remarks align with the administration’s broader goal of reshaping NATO into a more equitable and sustainable partnership, where European allies take on a greater share of the financial and military responsibilities.

This call for increased defense spending was reinforced by Hegseth’s broader message about the need for European allies to step up their contributions to regional security. As the U.S. focuses on countering China’s rise and securing its own borders, the onus is increasingly on Europe to address its own security challenges. The defense secretary’s remarks served as a wake-up call for NATO members, urging them to move beyond their historical reliance on the United States and take a more proactive role in defending their own continent. While the U.S. will continue to play a role in European security, the era of unconditional American dominance appears to be coming to an end, as the transatlantic alliance enters a new era of shared responsibility.