Hegseth Warns NATO Is a 'Paper Tiger' and Says U.S. Will Reassess Europe Commitment

By מאיר שלם

First reported by Ynet · Jun 18, 2026

What happened

Pete Hegseth told NATO defense ministers in Brussels that the U.S. will review its troop deployment in Europe over the next six months. He said the alliance needs a major reset, accused Europe of relying too heavily on Washington, and called NATO a "paper tiger."

• 01Hegseth said the U.S. will review its European force posture over six months.
• 02He linked the review to Europe taking more responsibility for its own defense.
• 03He called NATO a "paper tiger" and urged a reset to "NATO 3.0."
• 04He said Europe has free-ridden on U.S. security guarantees since the Cold War.

Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.

Full coverage · 3 outlets

The same event, reported separately by each newsroom. Open a few to compare what each emphasizes — and what they leave out.

Behadrei HaredimRight · HebrewJun 18, 2026

Hegseth Warns NATO Is a 'Paper Tiger' and Says U.S. Will Reassess Europe Commitment

Now 14Right · HebrewJun 18, 2026

Hegseth Orders Review of U.S. Forces in Europe and Pressures NATO Allies to Pay More

YnetCenter · HebrewJun 18, 2026

Hegseth Berates NATO Allies in Brussels, Warns U.S. Support Will Depend on Europe

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