SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH: [Inaudible] is the goal that President Trump set out in his first term. President Trump said other countries need to carry the burden, pay their fair share. A lot of people thought that was impossible, it couldn't happen. Here we are and countries in there are well exceeding 2 percent. And we think very close, almost near consensus, on a 5 percent commitment for NATO in The Hague later this month.
There are a few countries — not quite there yet. I won't name any names. We don't — it's amongst friends in that room. We'll get them there. But from France to Germany, to the Baltics, to the Nordic countries, to Poland, to Greece, to Hungary, to so many more, the commitment is there, 5 percent on defense spending. When you consider the threats that we face, the urgency in the world, it's critical.
We don't need more flags; we need more fighting formations. We don't need more conferences; we need more capabilities, hard power. That's why President Trump has committed to spending $1 trillion in our defense budget. We're standing in that room looking out at all the other countries saying we're spending 13 percent more on our defense inside our formations in real capabilities.
We need our allies here in Europe and in Canada to step up even more; to step up and take the lead; to recognize the defense of the continent is a core mission. So, 5 percent is our message, and we will deliver that. President Trump at The Hague at the summit. It's been his commitment, and I believe our allies will step up and do that for real capabilities and that Europe returns to its forefront defense of the continent, and burden sharing being central to that.
America has led for a long way. Now it's time for Europe to step up. So, I'm very encouraged by what we heard in there. I appreciate the leadership from Secretary Rutte, our Ambassador Whitaker who's done a great job. I'll take a few questions.
Q: Sir, the UK says you didn't mention the UK about commitments to 5 percent. They say they will spend 3 percent by 2030.
SECRETARY HEGSETH: Our friends in the UK, we're going to get there. We're going to get there.
Q: You're going to get there?
SECRETARY HEGSETH: We think everybody's going to get there. We really do — it's important. Well, I think it's important they do.
[Crosstalk]
SECRETARY HEGSETH: [Inaudible] $1 trillion in the next budget, 13 percent historic investments in our southern border, Golden Dome, advanced technologies, F-47 — we're leading the way. The question is, will our allies step up the way we need them to. Considering the threats in the world today, they have to. We all have to live in history together, recognizing it's not over.
Q: What if they don't? Would you ever consider withdrawing the United States from NATO?
SECRETARY HEGSETH: That's not what we're here to discuss. What we're here to discuss is that NATO countries — you heard that in there. It was actually very heartening to listen to all the countries step up and say we hear you; we all need increased capabilities. We all need to spend more. Thank you, President Trump, for reviving this alliance. It was an alliance that was sleepwalking to irrelevance, and President Trump in his first term said you need to step up and spend more. And he has in this term done the same. And what I saw in there were countries prepared to step up to push the limits of what they can do. That's a good thing. So, we're only talking friends.
Q: What about the timeline, sir, for the 5 percent? How many years would you give allies to actually reach that?
SECRETARY HEGSETH: Well, there's — those discussions are ongoing. The ambassador is a key part of that. Go ahead.
U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO MATTHEW WHITAKER: Yeah, but again, the timeline is not being driven by the United States of America. It is being driven by the serious security threats that Europe faces, that the United States faces. And so, our allies all have their unique situations, but everyone in that room was committed to doing dramatically more. To the 5 percent. I heard everyone saying that the capabilities are necessary for the hardening of our societies and our infrastructure, and all of the investments that it's going to require.
Everybody's on board, everybody's going to have a unique timeline, but I think there's a serious commitment here and we're continuing to negotiate that. But you know, again, we're not driving the timeline. The threats are driving the timeline. Russia's going to reconstitute in five years or less. Europe continues to tell us that Russia is their biggest threat. And we agree in the Euro-Atlantic it is. And so, we need to make sure everybody's invested.
Q: Sir, can you tell us about American troops and American military personnel in Europe? I think you suggested that there would be a decision about the level of forces you maintain because you're facing threats elsewhere, sir. Can you tell us what your thinking is about, I think, 100,000 military personnel at the moment in Europe?
SECRETARY HEGSETH: Well, it would only be responsible for the United States to continually assess our force posture, which is precisely what we've done. We have an interim defense strategy that clearly specifies we're going to defend our southern border and close it, unlike the previous administration that let 21 million people invade our country, and we're going to get 100 percent operational control of that.
We're going to make sure we shift properly to the Indo-Pacific and reestablish deterrence there. And then we're going to increase burden sharing across the world. America can't be everywhere all the time, nor should we be. And so, there are reasons why we have troops in certain places, and we respect and understand that.
It's also prudent that we review that force posture, in real time, alongside our allies and partners to make sure it's right sized. So, I don't want to get ahead of the president's decision on that. But we're reviewing everything. And I think our allies' commitment and willingness to spend more means a lot, to your point.
You can talk — I hear a few countries talk about capabilities and the importance of capabilities and then hedge a little bit on how much more we spend. Unfortunately, you've got to spend to have hardened power oftentimes, you can't do it [crosstalk].
Q: And is 3 percent enough, sir? Is 3 percent enough?
SECRETARY HEGSETH: Each country is going to make that determination. But this alliance, we believe in a matter of weeks, will be committing to 5 percent, 3.5 percent in hard military and 1.5 percent in infrastructure and defense-related activities. That combination constitutes a real commitment, and we think every country can step up.
Q: [Crosstalk] Does the U.S. want Zelensky to be at the summit in The Hague? And by skipping all the events related to Ukraine at this NATO meeting, are you sending a message that the U.S. no longer supports Ukraine?
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: I'm at all the meetings, yes.
SECRETARY HEGSETH: We've been at that meeting and we — at the beginning of this administration —
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: I think he just insulted me saying that I'm not the United States.
SECRETARY HEGSETH: I think he did. We were definitely at that meeting and made a contribution. And, from the beginning of this administration, worked with our British and German counterparts for them to take the lead of that contact group, which they've done. And I appreciate that.