Trump won’t let Europe turn Uncle Sam into ‘Uncle Sucker’, US defence chief says

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected criticism on Thursday of Washington’s negotiating strategy with Russia on the war in Ukraine and warned Europe against treating America like a “sucker” by making it responsible for its defence.

“Make no mistake, President Trump will not allow anyone to turn Uncle Sam into ‘Uncle Sucker’,” Hegseth told a press conference at Nato headquarters in Brussels.

Europe should be primarily responsible for defence on the European continent, he said.

In his overseas debut after taking charge of the Pentagon on January 24, Hegseth has set off a storm of criticism in Europe after announcing on Wednesday that a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders was unrealistic and the Trump administration does not see Nato membership for Kyiv as part of a solution to the war triggered by Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Hegseth’s critics say the remarks amounted to the United States giving up its leverage in negotiations with Russia before they even started, in what they described as a major victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Hegseth on Thursday defended his remarks as acknowledgement of battlefield realities and left the door open for US moves during negotiations that could be seen as concessions, including on issues like US supplies to Ukraine and troop levels in Europe.

  

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