Trump's Pentagon weighs pulling up to 40,000 US troops from Europe in major drawdown plan

WASHINGTON, DC: The Pentagon is considering a drawdown of at least 25,000 US troops from Europe, possibly as many as 40,000. This would reduce the American military presence in the region by almost a third.

According to a report by NBC News, current and former US and Western officials familiar with the discussions said the plans are still under consideration.

There are approximately 80,000 US troops stationed in Europe, and final decisions have yet to be made.

Germany, Italy, and Spain, which are home to some of the largest American deployments, will be among the first to feel the impact if the reductions take place.

Pentagon weighs major US troop cuts in Europe

The potential drawdown is part of a six-month Pentagon review of the US military footprint in Europe.

General Alexus Grynkewich, who heads US European Command and is NATO's supreme allied commander, is set to brief Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on an initial assessment on Friday, September 18.

It is expected to include various options on aviation, naval, and ground forces, as well as a possible shift of some units to NATO's eastern flank.

Hegseth is scheduled to give a final recommendation to President Donald Trump on November 6 for him to decide on the matter.

The Trump administration has long argued that European countries should assume greater responsibility for their conventional defense while the US focuses additional military resources on other regions.

The possible reductions have prompted concern among some lawmakers and European governments, which have warned that a rapid withdrawal could affect NATO’s ability to deter Russia.

Lawmaker concerns grow over Pentagon troop cuts

The potential cuts have already alarmed some legislators and European governments, who have argued that a fast drawdown could undermine NATO's ability to deter Russia at a sensitive time on the continent.

The review has also apparently caused tension inside the administration: Secretary of State Marco Rubio intervened in June after the Pentagon sought to brief NATO defense ministers on the scope of the possible cuts, according to NBC's reporting.

Meanwhile, senators have urged Rubio to make sure the State Department and American diplomats play a full role in the review of the force posture, rather than leaving it primarily to the Pentagon.

With a final recommendation not due until November and Trump's ultimate decision yet to come, the scope and timing of any actual troop reductions remain unclear.

But the scale contemplated, up to half the US troop presence in Europe, would represent one of the most profound changes in American military posture on the continent in decades.

The move is likely to be watched carefully by NATO allies eager to assess how seriously Washington is willing to commit itself to defending Europe.