Speaking at a press conference in Warsaw, Poland, Hegseth said that U.S. force levels in Europe are important but must be scrutinized.
"What happens five, 10, 15 years from now is part of a larger discussion that reflects the threat level, America's posture, our needs around the globe, but most importantly the capability of European countries to step up," he said. "That's why our message is so stark to our European allies — now is the time to invest because you can't make an assumption that America's presence will last forever."
His comments come on the end of a week-long trip through Europe that included stops in Germany to visit U.S. Africa Command and Brussels for a two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers. While at the alliance headquarters, he hinted that Europeans would have to step up conventional deterrence against Russia.
Hegseth also sparked fears as to whether the U.S. would largely abandon investment in NATO moving forward after he expressed "that stark strategic realities prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe."
No decision has yet been made on changing U.S. force presence in Europe, though the Trump administration has said it is reviewing where it puts troops globally.
Vance, meanwhile, in remarks at the Munich Security Conference, argued the biggest threats facing Europe were not China or Russia, but the issue of mass migration and laws that restrict free speech.
"While the Trump administration is very concerned with European security and believes we can come to a reasonable settlement between Russia and Ukraine … the threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia, it's not China, it's not any other external actor," Vance said.
"And what I worry about is the threat from within," he continued. "The retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America.'
Vance's remarks did not delve into the conflict in Ukraine, where the Trump administration is pushing for a ceasefire negotiation, nor did he discuss at length President Trump's desire for Europe to commit more to defense spending.
Instead, Vance accused European officials of using laws meant to minimize misinformation and disinformation to marginalize populist voices and voters, which garnered a tepid reception in the room.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
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