The View From Europe

There’s no shortage of news to discuss, so here’s what’s on tap for the day: A European view on U.S. President Donald Trump’s Hormuz showdown, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s heated appearances on Capitol Hill, and Kid Rock’s U.S. Army helicopter joyride.

One of the most prominent side narratives of the U.S. war with Iran has been U.S. President Donald Trump’s ire at NATO’s European members for their perceived lack of support for the war effort. In the past month, Trump has slammed the trans-Atlantic alliance as a “paper tiger” and mused (again) about pulling the United States out of it; his administration is reportedly weighing punitive measures against individual members, including suspending Spain (which there is currently no NATO mechanism for).

Some of those European countries are now preparing to get involved by readying a joint naval force to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, but they will only do so once a “stable cease-fire” has been achieved, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken told SitRep in Washington on Wednesday. “We’re not going in when the ballistic missiles are going up and down,” he said.

Francken was in town to meet with senior Pentagon officials including U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Belgian official had some positive updates to share with them: A new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute this week found that Belgium’s defense spending in 2025 went up by 59 percent compared to 2024, the highest percentage increase of all European countries.

“That’s what they want,” Francken said, referring to the Trump administration’s repeated demands that European countries ramp up their defense spending and take responsibility for their own security. “So, when we can show that we’re really having concrete results, then it’s very positive. It was a positive atmosphere. There was no hostility,” he added.

The same could not be said for the atmosphere on Capitol Hill this week, where Hegseth spent Wednesday and Thursday being grilled by lawmakers from both parties who are increasingly exasperated by his performance and concerned about his sudden firing of senior military leaders. SitRep was keen to get Francken’s read on Hegseth’s performance, but he refused to get drawn into what he described as the United States and Hegseth’s “internal affairs.” which he said did not come up in their meeting. “I don’t want him to mingle in mine, so I will not mingle in his,” Francken said.

What did come up was Belgium’s expertise in demining and its willingness to help clear any potential undersea mines from Hormuz when the time comes. The European country is not only home to the headquarters of both NATO and the European Union in Brussels, but it also hosts a NATO Center of Excellence on naval mine warfare in Oostende. Next week, Francken is planning to visit the headquarters of a Belgian company that makes demining drones for NATO with a group of ambassadors and defense attachés from the Arab Gulf countries. “That’s a niche, but it’s a niche where we’re really strong,” he said.

But the main focus for Belgium, NATO, and Europe—and the primary emphasis of the continent’s military buildup—remains on the far longer-running war between Ukraine and Russia. On that front, too, Francken said he sees positive signs, pointing out the diminished nature of Moscow’s upcoming military parade next month. “For the first time in the military parade in Moscow in two weeks, there won’t be tanks. There won’t be armored vehicles. The explanation of Moscow is that it’s because they’re all engaged in the war,” he said. “The writing is on the wall. I think they are in a bad position.”

FP Insiders can read Rishi’s full conversation with Francken here.

The Department of Defense last Thursday fired Jacqueline Smith, the ombudsman for the U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes, who is charged by Congress to protect the publication’s editorial independence. Smith believes she was fired over her criticism of the Pentagon’s move to, in the words of Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell, “refocus” the newspaper “away from woke distractions.” “I knew there would be perils for speaking out against Pentagon attempts to control the news, but I expected some communication or questions or warning first,” Smith wrote in an op-ed for Stars and Stripes. Asked for comment, a Defense Department official would only tell SitRep that Smith “has been relieved of her duties.”

Julie Davis, the acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, is reportedly leaving the State Department over frustration with Trump’s lack of support for Kyiv in its war against Russia. Notably, Davis’s predecessor, Bridget Brink, left for similar reasons. The State Department denied that Davis is leaving over disagreements with Trump, however, and said she “will continue to proudly advance President Trump’s policies until she officially departs Kyiv in June 2026 and retires from the Department.”

What should be high on your radar, if it isn’t already.

Trump vs. Merz. It’s no secret that Trump has been angry with many European allies for refusing to join the war with Iran, but he’s particularly irate with Germany this week after critical comments made by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz on Monday said that the United States is being “humiliated” by Tehran in negotiations as the stalemated conflict continues to wreak havoc on global energy markets. Trump has responded by threatening to pull some U.S. troops from Germany, and on Thursday, he attacked Merz in a post on Truth Social.

“The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!), and fixing his broken Country, especially Immigration and Energy, and less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place!” Trump wrote.

Hegseth on the Hill. As we noted above, Hegseth faced sharp criticism from Democrats this week as he testified before Congress for the first time since the war in Iran began. His testimony came amid growing allegations that he has sought to mislead the public on the war and increasing signs that even some Republicans on the Hill are losing faith in him. Our FP colleague Rachel Oswald wrote about the grilling Hegseth faced. Read her piece here.

Hegseth’s testimony also came as the Iran war moves toward the 60-day mark on Friday. Under the 1973 War Powers Act, presidents must remove U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities after 60 days. Hegseth on Thursday told senators that the 60-day clock pauses during a cease-fire, but Democrats expressed doubts about this interpretation of the law. Rachel also recently wrote an excellent piece on the War Powers Act and the 60-day deadline, which we highly recommend reading.

Britain’s King Charles III is applauded as he arrives to address the U.S. Congress in Washington on April 28. Henry Nicholls/Getty Images