Hegseth Pushes Record Defense Spending to Shield US Growth
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has called for a record $1.5 trillion defence budget while warning NATO allies they must meet spending commitments or face reduced American support.
In a forceful opinion piece published in the New York Post on June 23, Hegseth contended that the greatest danger to national security is inadequate military funding, not the expanding national debt. He warned that if America loses its military superiority, no degree of budget-cutting could preserve economic vitality.
The remarks serve as a defence of President Donald Trump’s proposed 2027 defence budget of $1.5 trillion (€1.32 trillion), the highest in American history and roughly 42 per cent higher than current spending levels. The proposal has met resistance from fiscal conservatives and non-interventionist lawmakers, prompting Hegseth to personally lobby Congress for support.
Hegseth emphasized that the Pentagon, which was renamed the Department of War in 2025, has eliminated billions of dollars in wasteful expenditures through an internal audit. He announced the department would complete its first comprehensive financial audit by 2028, ahead of schedule, having never previously achieved one.
European allies put on notice
The defence secretary’s domestic push mirrors his hardline stance toward European NATO members. On June 18 at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Hegseth ordered a six-month assessment of US forces stationed in Europe and warned that American military contributions would decline unless member states fulfill agreed spending commitments.
NATO leaders committed at The Hague in June 2025 to spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035, with 3.5 per cent dedicated to core military capabilities. Member states are expected to present credible roadmaps at an upcoming summit in Ankara, Turkey, starting July 7.
Hegseth has repeatedly criticized European governments for depending on American military power while chronically underfunding their own armed forces. Spain, which negotiated an exemption from the 5 per cent target, has drawn particular skepticism from other allies regarding its ability to meet alternative obligations.
Military strength as economic foundation
In his article, Hegseth framed military dominance as essential to American economic health, arguing that an unchallenged United States can borrow at favorable rates and dictate global trade conditions. He identified urgency, speed, efficiency, competition, and lethality as the core principles now guiding the renamed Department of War.
The secretary’s position represents a sharp break from conventional budget concerns, prioritizing strategic competition with China and other rivals over deficit reduction. His argument underscores the administration’s view that military rearmament is not merely a security imperative but an economic one.
With information from Brussels Signal
