U.S. Defense 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 defense.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is once again calling on European and Canadian partners to increase defence spending, citing President Dwight Eisenhower's words from the past. Source: European Pravda,

US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth called on NATO members to spend more on defence and warned that ", President Trump will not allow anyone to turn Uncle Sam into Uncle Sucker."