One option under review could remove about a third of the roughly 80,000 American military personnel now stationed across Europe.
WASHINGTON, DC — The Pentagon is considering options that could withdraw tens of thousands of U.S. troops from Europe, along with aircraft, ships and other military capabilities, as the Trump administration reviews the size and purpose of the American military presence on the continent.
The possible reductions are part of a six-month force-posture review announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in June. The review has not produced a final decision, and the size of any withdrawal remains unsettled. Reporting by NBC News, citing current and former U.S. and Western officials familiar with the discussions, said one option could remove roughly 25,000 troops, or nearly a third of the approximately 80,000 U.S. military personnel now in Europe. Some officials said reductions as large as 40,000 have been discussed.
The review could represent one of the biggest changes to the American military footprint in Europe since the years after the Cold War. U.S. forces stationed across the continent support NATO deterrence, training, logistics, intelligence and plans to reinforce allies during a crisis. The discussions come as the administration presses European governments to assume greater responsibility for their conventional defense and provide more support for U.S. military operations.
Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, who serves as commander of U.S. European Command and NATO’s supreme allied commander in Europe, took part Friday in a virtual briefing for Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby on the force review. Reuters reported that planners are preparing at least four options for Hegseth. A final recommendation is expected to reach the defense secretary in early November, according to reporting on the review.
The Pentagon has not publicly announced a plan to remove 25,000 or 40,000 troops. Hegseth said when he announced the review that it would last up to six months and would include consultations with Congress. He has said the administration wants European allies to carry a larger share of the continent’s defense burden while ensuring U.S. forces remain available for military requirements elsewhere in the world.
Congress has placed limits on how quickly the Pentagon can sharply reduce the U.S. presence. The fiscal 2026 defense law restricts the use of Defense Department funds for reducing troop levels in the U.S. European Command area below 76,000 for an extended period unless required certifications and assessments are submitted to lawmakers. Those provisions require consideration of NATO consultations, U.S. national security interests and the effects of reductions on deterrence and military planning.
Washington already has made smaller changes to its European deployment. The Pentagon announced plans earlier this year to withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany, and a planned deployment of about 4,000 soldiers to Poland was canceled in May. Those decisions drew concern from some lawmakers and NATO governments about the direction of U.S. policy toward Europe.
At the same time, the administration has signaled that reductions may not be uniform across the continent. President Donald Trump said this week that progress was being made toward establishing a permanent U.S. Army base in Poland. U.S. troops currently operate there on a rotational basis. Poland, which borders NATO’s eastern flank, has sought a larger and more permanent American military presence as Russia’s war against Ukraine and other security concerns continue to shape regional defense planning.
The broader review has generated concern among European allies because U.S. forces provide capabilities that cannot always be replaced simply by adding European troops. American military infrastructure in Europe supports command and control, air operations, intelligence, logistics and rapid reinforcement. NATO governments have increased defense spending and expanded military production in recent years, but European officials continue to debate how quickly they could replace some U.S. capabilities if Washington substantially reduced its presence.
No final troop level has been approved, and the options being studied could change before they reach Hegseth and President Trump. The Pentagon’s review is expected to continue through the fall, with congressional consultations and decisions about particular countries, bases and military capabilities still unresolved.
Author note: Last updated September 19, 2026.