Pentagon Weighs Cutting Only 5,000 Troops in Europe, Not 25,000

People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Washington has taken a more favorable view of rising European defense spending in NATO, and that U.S. forces have come to rely on bases, logistics routes and overflight rights on the continent for the war against Iran.

No final decision has been announced. A Pentagon spokesperson said the review of American force levels in Europe is still underway and that there is nothing to announce yet.

Allies Expect a Smaller Drawdown

European governments had feared that President Donald Trump’s administration could withdraw as many as 25,000 of the roughly 80,000 U.S. troops now stationed in Europe.

One of Bloomberg’s sources said allies now expect an overall reduction of about 5,000 personnel, a far narrower outcome than those earlier warnings.

Iran War Shapes Washington’s Calculus

The smaller scale under consideration, the sources said, also reflects how heavily American forces have used European infrastructure during the conflict with Iran.

Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s policy chief, is preparing an official report for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. In September, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, who commands U.S. European Command and serves as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, provided Colby’s team with a set of possible scenarios.

Germany Would Absorb Most Cuts

Most of any reduction would reportedly fall on Germany, which hosts the largest American contingent in Europe, about 38,000 troops, as well as the headquarters of U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command.

NATO’s eastern flank could be reinforced, Bloomberg reported, and countries bordering Russia have offered to cover part of the cost of keeping U.S. units there. That debate has already included Poland’s push for a permanent American base, a decision also expected from the White House in early December.

Hegseth Recommendations Due in December

Hegseth is expected to submit final recommendations to Trump on December 1.

U.S. law already sets a floor of 76,000 American troops in Europe and requires consultations with allies, plus a detailed risk assessment, before bases or major equipment are withdrawn. Allies had already been watching that review through the U.S. midterm elections.

Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, has previously said he does not expect a large-scale reduction. An earlier stage of the same debate had flagged a withdrawal of 5,000 personnel from Germany as part of the wider posture review due to conclude this month.

The final decision rests with Trump.