Hegseth, Italian Counterpart Meet at Pentagon

Hegseth, Italian Counterpart Meet at Pentagon

JUNE 16, 2026 – Secretary of War Pete Hegseth hosted Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto during a bilateral engagement yesterday at the Pentagon. At the meeting’s outset, Hegseth expressed appreciation for Italy’s growing defense leadership in Europe. “We’re especially grateful for the steadfast support your government and the Italian people show in hosting U.S. forces in Italy,” Hegseth told Crosetto. Italy has hosted elements of the U.S. m…

At the Pentagon, Italy and the U.S. align on NATO, defense and industrial cooperation

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto used a meeting at the Pentagon on Tuesday to reaffirm the strategic partnership between Rome and Washington, with talks ranging from NATO’s future and defense spending to Ukraine, defense industry cooperation and maritime security. Why it matters: The meeting offered a public display of alignment between two key NATO allies. Hegseth singled out Italy as one of the E…