Theo Francken is Belgium’s minister of Defense and Foreign Trade since February 2025. He is praised for rebuilding the armed forces in his country, granting it the biggest increase of its budget of all NATO members (+60%). While Europe is witnessing increasing calls for strategic autonomy, Theo Francken remains a vocal supporter of strong transatlantic relations. From 2011 to 2015 he served as minister of Migration, gaining national popularity with pragmatic but firm leadership, advocating zero tolerance for illegal immigration. As leader of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, he championed robust defense investments and unwavering support for Ukraine. On the American political spectrum, Francken could be considered a Reaganite center-right conservative. He is author of several books on a wide array of subjects, ranging from the European migration crisis to NATO’s strategic priorities. During his time in office, he has brought Belgium back on the world stage of defense politics.
