Hegseth: Allies must stop free-riding

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued a sharp critique of America's allies, declaring that the time for 'free riding' on US military protection is over. Speaking from the Pentagon, Hegseth argued that Europe and Asia have benefited from US protection for decades, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz, which the US barely uses for its own energy needs. He explicitly stated, "the time for free-riding is over,\