The Pentagon’s European Posture Review, which aims to assess the United States’ military footprint in Europe and shift defense responsibilities towards NATO’s European members, has officially started.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Pentagon has officially started its review into the United States military’s presence in Europe. 📺 DETAIL: This week, the Pentagon officially started its European Posture Review. The review is part of a broader strategy to modernize the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and rebalance NATO’s defense burden away from the United States and towards European countries. “The review will further the goal of fully restoring NATO’s character as a powerful warfighting organization,” said Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby. “This will put NATO on the track for lasting, sustained success, especially as we confront simultaneous challenges across theaters.” This follows through on a commitment made by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at a NATO meeting in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, last month. “We need a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO, through increased defense spending and defense production,” said the Secretary of War. “Secretary Hegseth was very clear about the need for a NATO 3.0, an alliance rebooted for the modern age. On that we all agree,” Colby added. The move follows years of criticism from President Donald J. Trump, who has extensively criticized European members of NATO for “free-riding” on U.S. military protection and insufficient defense spending. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “This will be a real review, designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe taking primary responsibility for its conventional defense… The outcome of this review will be an acceleration of NATO’s transition to a stronger, more equitable and sustainable alliance,” said Colby on X (formerly Twitter). 🎯 IMPACT: This shows that the Trump administration is doubling-down on the idea of NATO 3.0. Back in June, Secretary Hegseth described the current state of NATO as “NATO 2.0.” “Defense budgets cratered, along with Europe’s belief in itself and its civilization. NATO lost its way… NATO 2.0 was an era of distraction, deindustrialization, and demilitarization,” declared the Secretary of War last month. As such, it is likely that previously stated goals, such as getting European NATO countries to spend five percent of GDP on defense by 2035, remain in place. The start of the review could spell a radical alteration in the structure of NATO, including reduced U.S. military presence in Europe. “It’s a review that some countries will fail, and others will pass with flying colors,” Hegseth warned at the time. |
Today, the Department of War kicked off the Europe Posture Review Secretary Hegseth announced at the last NATO Defense Ministerial Meeting in Brussels. As the Secretary laid out then, this will be a real review, designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward…
— Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby (@USWPColby) July 28, 2026
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