Addressing defense ministers in Brussels, Hegseth emphasized that the review is designed to end what officials describe as an unhealthy co-dependence on U.S. military power. While the Pentagon has not explicitly confirmed troop cuts, the administration is already scaling back crisis-response capabilities. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed that reductions in U.S. contributions to the alliance’s emergency forces are effective immediately, forcing member states to scramble for replacements.

Defense ministers are now grappling with the logistical fallout. Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken pledged additional F-16 fighter jets and MQ-9B drones to help fill the void. However, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warned that rapid withdrawals of assets like deep-strike missiles create dangerous security gaps that cannot be filled overnight. Military sources indicate the U.S. is trimming its regional footprint, including a one-third reduction in available F-15 and F-15E fighter jets and a 50% cut to MQ-4 and MQ-9 Reaper drone availability. Hegseth maintained that the U.S. will remain candid about which nations are failing to pull their weight, framing the pivot as a necessary transition to a more self-reliant 'NATO 3.0.'