US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has described the refusal of some Nato allies to support American military operations against Iran as 'unconscionable', warning that Washington 'will remember'. In a written statement to Congressional appropriations subcommittees, Hegseth said there would be 'consequences' for allies that fail to 'step up'.
The rebuke follows previous criticism by Hegseth and President Donald Trump of the UK for its reluctance to be drawn into the Middle East conflict. Hegseth praised 'model allies' including Israel, South Korea, Poland, Finland and the Baltic states, but notably omitted the UK and France.
The cost of the Iran war has risen to around $29 billion (£21.4 billion), up from $25 billion two weeks ago, raising concerns on Capitol Hill. US motorists have seen petrol prices soar by more than 50% since hostilities began, fuelling domestic discontent and Republican worries ahead of November's midterm elections.
Hegseth said Nato had become 'beset by freeriding' and needed to change. He added: 'Not all allies have gotten the message, and where they do not step up, there will be consequences.' He criticised allies for not supporting US operations despite their greater reliance on Middle East energy markets.
The comments come as President Trump dismissed a Tehran peace proposal as 'garbage', causing oil prices to rise sharply. He said the Iran ceasefire was on 'life support'. The US has announced plans to pull 5,000 troops from Germany, and Trump has threatened to withdraw personnel from Italy and Spain over their stance on the war.
Some Republicans have criticised the White House's fractious relations with long-term allies. Senator Mitch McConnell said Nato was 'the most important military alliance in world history', while Congressman Tom Cole said 'America First has never meant America alone'.
