Secretary Mark Rutte. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he's confident NATO allies will agree to Donald Trump's push for a big increase in defense spending. Trump wants member nations to raise their defense budgets to 5% of their GDP—more than double the current 2% goal. Hegseth added that this change needs to happen by the upcoming NATO summit later this June. Hegesth also added that NATO alliances cannot continue to rely on the US for defense. "The United States is proud to be here, to stand with our allies, but our message is gonna continue to be clear: It's deterrence and peace through strength, but it cannot be reliance," Hegseth told reporters ahead of a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday. "It cannot and will not be reliance on America. It can't just be U.S
Hegseth speaks in Brussels
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