U.S. Orders Review of Troops Assigned to NATO

The Pentagon will conduct a formal review of U.S. forces committed to NATO following a speech by the U.S. Secretary of War at alliance headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. The audit will assess the speed and adequacy of European members' efforts to assume primary responsibility for the continent's defense.

One criterion will be whether defense spending meets the alliance's revised targets of 3.5 percent of GDP on direct military outlays and 1.5 percent on infrastructure by 2035.

The Secretary of War criticized restrictions some allies placed on U.S. access to European bases during the conflict with Iran and said certain countries would fail the review. He also indicated the United States may withhold some NATO dues if spending commitments are not met.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the review is acceptable and will take several months. He noted that allies increased defense spending by $90 billion over 2024 levels and said members must present credible spending road maps at next month's summit in Ankara.

The Pentagon has already reduced the list of forces designated for NATO in an emergency, prompting European allies to seek replacements for any resulting gaps. The administration has stated it needs flexibility to address simultaneous contingencies, including potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

Canada's Defence Minister told reporters the country is preparing its spending plan after crossing the previous two-percent GDP threshold earlier this year.