Welcome again Foreign PolicyStatus Report. It’s been an eventful week in Washington, between the shooting at the White House press dinner and a visit from King Charles.
There is not much news to discuss, so here is the news available for today: A Europe view of the President of the United States Donald Trump’s Hormuz campaignUS Secretary of Defense Pete Hegsethtemperature display is on Capitol Hilland Baby RockUS Army happy helicopter.
Welcome again Foreign PolicyStatus Report. It’s been an eventful week in Washington, between the shooting at the White House press dinner and a visit from King Charles.
There is not much news to discuss, so here is the news available for today: A Europe view of the President of the United States Donald Trump’s Hormuz campaignUS Secretary of Defense Pete Hegsethtemperature display is on Capitol Hilland Baby RockUS Army happy helicopter.
One of the prominent narratives of the US-Iran war is US President Donald Trump’s anger at European NATO members for perceived lack of support for the war effort. In the past month, Trump has denounced the transatlantic alliance as “paper tiger” and mulling (again) withdrawing the US from it; his administration is reportedly weighing punitive measures against individual members, including suspending Spain (which currently has no NATO membership).
Some of those European countries are now preparing to get involved by organizing a joint naval force to help protect the Strait of Hormuz, but will do so only once a “firm ceasefire” is in place, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken told SitRep in Washington on Wednesday. “We don’t go when ballistic missiles are going up and down,” he said.
Francken was in town to meet with senior Pentagon officials including US Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The Belgian official had some positive updates to share: New report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute this week found that Belgium’s defense spending in 2025 will rise by 59 percent compared to 2024, the largest percentage increase of any European country.
“That’s what they want,” Francken said, referring to the Trump administration’s repeated demands that European countries increase their defense spending and take responsibility for their own security. “So, when we can show that we really have a solid result, then it’s very positive. It was a good situation. 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 hounded by lawmakers from both parties who are increasingly angry at his performance and worried about firing top military officials. SitRep was interested in getting Francken’s reading of Hegseth’s performance, but he refused to be drawn into what he described as the “inside” of the United States and Hegseth. which he said did not happen in their meeting. “I don’t want him to get mixed up in mine, so I won’t get mixed up in his,” Francken said.
What stood out was Belgium’s expertise in demining and its willingness to help remove any potential undersea mines from Hormuz when the time came. The European country is not only home to the headquarters of NATO and the European Union in Brussels, but also hosts the NATO Center of Excellence on naval mine warfare in Oostende. Next week, Francken plans to visit the headquarters of a Belgian company that makes NATO drones with a group of ambassadors and defense partners from the Arab Gulf countries. “That’s a niche, but it’s a niche where we’re very strong,” he said.
But the main focus of Belgium, NATO, and Europe—and the main focus of the military buildup there—remains the protracted war between Ukraine and Russia. In that regard, too, Francken said he sees positive signs, pointing to the reduced mood of the upcoming military parade in Moscow next month. “For the first time in a military parade in Moscow in two weeks, there will be no tanks. There will be no armored vehicles. Moscow’s explanation is that it is because they are all involved in the war,” he said. “The writing is on the wall. I think they’re in bad shape.”
FP Insiders can read Rishi’s full conversation with Francken here.
The Department of Defense last Thursday fired Jacqueline Smith, an investigator for the US military newspaper Stars and Stripeswho has been charged by Congress to protect the editorial freedom of the press. Smith believes he was fired because of his criticism of the Pentagon’s move, in words of Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell, “refocused” the newspaper “away from distractions.” “I knew there would be risks in speaking out against the Pentagon’s attempts to control information, but I expected communication or questions or warnings first,” Smith wrote in and op-ed for Stars and Stripes. When asked for comment, a Defense Department official would only tell SitRep that Smith “has been relieved of his duties.”
Julie Davis, acting US ambassador to Ukraine is reported leaving the State Department out of frustration with Trump’s lack of support for Kyiv in its war against Russia. Notably, Davis’ predecessor, Bridget Brink, left for the same reason. The State Department denied that Davis was ceasing to disagree with Trump, however, and he said “will continue to proudly advance President Trump’s policies until he officially leaves 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 angered many European allies for refusing to join the war with Iran, but he has been particularly angry with Germany this week after critical comments made by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz on Monday said that the US is being “humiliated” by Tehran in negotiations as the stalled conflict continues. destroy the global energy market. Trump has responded with scary pulling some American troops out of Germany, and on Thursday, attacked Merz in a post on Truth Social.
“The German Chancellor should spend more time ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has done absolutely nothing!), and fixing his broken country, especially Immigration and Energy, and less time intervening with those who are removing the nuclear threat of Iran, 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 Iran war began. His testimony came amid growing allegations that he has tried to mislead the public about the war and added to signs that even some Republicans on the Hill are losing faith in him. Our FP colleague Rachel Oswald wrote about Hegseth’s burning. Read his piece here.
Hegseth’s testimony also came as the Iran war approaches the 60-day mark on Friday. Under the War Powers Act of 1973, presidents must withdraw US forces from unauthorized hostilities after 60 days. Hegseth on Thursday told senators that the 60-day clock stops on the ceasefire, but Democrats expressed doubts about this interpretation of the law. Rachel also recently wrote excellent piece about the War Powers Act and the 60-day deadline, which we highly recommend reading.
King Charles III of England is cheered when he arrives to address the United States Congress in Washington on April 28. Henry Nicholls/Getty Images
Monday, May 4: Results in four Indian state elections are scheduled to be announced.
Tuesday, May 5: The Romanian Parliament is ready to vote on the motion to impeach Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.
The US Trade Representative is scheduled to begin public hearings on investigations into the trade practices of the European Union, China, Mexico and others.
G-7 trade ministers are scheduled to meet in Paris.
Thursday, May 7: Scotland and Wales are set to hold parliamentary elections, while voters in many parts of England will take part in local elections.
$25 billion. An estimate of the cost of the Iran war to the United States so far, acting Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst III testified before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.
“Mr. Hegseth, I stand by what I said the last time you were here. You were powerless then, you are powerless now, and you are the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to powerlessness.”
-Democratic representative Salud Carbajal for Hegseth as the head of the Pentagon appeared before members of Congress on Wednesday.
Musician Kid Rock got to ride in a US Army helicopter on Monday, courtesy of Hegseth. “Joined my friend @KidRock—and some of our top @USarmy Apache pilots—for a ride this morning,” Hegseth. he said in X’s post. “Kid Rock is a patriot and a big supporter of our troops.”
The visit came weeks after a standoff involving Army pilots flying an Apache near the pro-Trump musician’s home in Nashville, Tennessee. Hegseth has faced it criticism on Capitol Hill for preventing a quick investigation into the incident and lifting the suspension of the two pilots.
