European militaries are fielding new weapons and adjusting deployments as the Pentagon signals it will cut only about 5,000 troops from Europe, not the 25,000 allies feared.
The Pentagon is weighing a reduction of roughly 5,000 of the approximately 80,000 US troops stationed in Europe, according to Bloomberg. The largest cuts would fall on Germany, which hosts the biggest American contingent on the continent. NATO plans to reinforce its eastern flank, with countries bordering Russia offering to co-finance the cost of maintaining US forces on their territory. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to submit final recommendations to President Donald Trump on December 1.
The smaller reduction is attributed to increased European defense spending and Washington's reliance on European bases for operations against Iran. US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said, "We have a lot of assets that are exactly where we need them. I don't expect large-scale actions."
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the US presence serves American interests. "The brutal truth is that the US is in Europe because it benefits the United States itself," he said. Hegseth has stressed that Europe must take primary responsibility for its own conventional defense.
The Royal Navy plans to launch Northrop Grumman's Talon Blue (YFQ-48A) autonomous jet from a Queen Elizabeth-class carrier in UK waters in 2027 under Project Vanquish. The trial will test how the drone might operate alongside F-35B fighters.
Germany is advancing hypersonic weapons to strengthen deterrence. MBDA described cooperation on the systems as running "positively."
Congress last year barred the Pentagon from reducing European troops below 76,000 without consulting allies. The House voted 211-204 on Tuesday to block impeachment proceedings against Hegseth over the Iran war.
