Pentagon review could reduce US troops in Europe

Pentagon review of US troops in Europe

An internal Pentagon assessment of the deployment of US troops in Europe will provide Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth with at least four option packages before 6 November, according to a leaked document. This timetable is well ahead of the official December deadline for completing the process, announced in June, and covers the approximately 80,000 US soldiers currently stationed across the continent.

NATO member states, meanwhile, fear that the review could lead to large-scale cuts. They also believe it could be used to penalise countries which, in President Donald Trump’s view, did not provide the United States with sufficient backing during the Israel-Iran war. One significant detail in the document, known as the “Terms of Reference” and never previously described publicly, is that the most senior US general in Europe will meet Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s policy chief, before 18 September. That meeting will be crucial in shaping the final options.

NATO concerns over possible force reductions

Colby is due to meet NATO ambassadors in Brussels this Thursday to discuss the process. When asked about it, a senior Pentagon official openly acknowledged that there is a specific intention to reduce the military presence on the continent: “There is clearly at least some signal of demand to have options that show us lowering our force levels in Europe.” Even so, the official stressed that the review is intended to “Provide a spectrum of options”, rather than representing a decision that has already been made, although several European officials privately question that claim.

When Hegseth announced the process in June, he had already criticised the alliance’s “Free-riders” and pledged to ensure that US access, bases and overflight rights would be “clearly delineated”. The newly disclosed document broadens those criteria. It also examines the space, cybersecurity and intelligence architectures supporting US power projection, as well as whether each country has a credible path to meeting its spending commitments.

Finally, Trump has repeatedly voiced his frustration with several European countries, accusing them of relying for years on US security guarantees while offering inadequate support during the war with Iran, including delays or refusals to authorise military aircraft overflights.