According to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported on May 30th, sources in the Pentagon said that the United States plans to accelerate the reduction of its military presence in Europe. The relevant proposals will be submitted to NATO allies next month.
When NATO withdrew its troops, Washington did not give Europe any buffer period at all. According to reports, from the perspective of European allies, the time given to them by the United States is very limited, which thus poses significant risks.
The Pentagon will submit detailed plans to NATOs headquarters in Brussels within the next few weeks, specifying which military capabilities Washington intends to reduce.
According to reports, this periodic meeting will take place in June. NATOs member countries will determine which military capabilities they can provide to the alliance.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to withdraw from NATO, believing that Europe has an advantage over the United States in terms of defense matters. He also demanded that NATO member countries increase their military spending. Since the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict, Trumps dissatisfaction with NATO has continued to escalate.
On June 25, 2025, local time, in The Hague, Netherlands, a NATO summit was held. U.S. President Trump met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. IC Photo
In April this year, after a dispute with German Chancellor Merz over Iran-related issues, Trump said that the United States was considering reducing the number of US troops stationed in Germany. On May 1st, officials from the U.S. Pentagon confirmed that plans were in place to withdraw about 5,000 US military personnel from Germany.
Currently, approximately 35,000 U.S. military personnel are stationed in Germany. This is the largest U.S. military presence in Europe. Sean Penner, the chief spokesman for the Pentagon, stated that the withdrawal of troops is expected to be completed within the next 6 to 12 months.
According to US media reports, Pentagon officials believe that this withdrawal plan indicates that Trump is dissatisfied with the assistance provided by European allies in the war against Iran.
However, Le Monde du Dimanche pointed out that the real issue lies in the fact that the United States can no longer act as the sole superpower in military operations on multiple fronts. In the foreseeable future, Europe must take on the responsibility of defending itself and deterring Russia. The conflict in Iran has reinforced this idea among the United States.
The report indicates that although Germany and other NATO countries were aware of the United States intention to withdraw from its protective umbrella role, the German government believed that this process would be gradual and coordinated. Now, with Washington confirming that it will submit a detailed reduction plan, it seems that the United States will not give Europeans much time for transition.
Last week, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also tried to downplay the US withdrawal from Europe. He stated that any reduction in military forces would be carried out in a orderly manner.
U.S. Department of Defense officials stated that President Trump always retains the right to act in whatever manner he deems appropriate, under any circumstances.
He added that the task of the Pentagon is to plan ahead for situations where the United States may face multiple conflicts simultaneously, in accordance with the spirit of the National Defense Strategy. If the situation doesnt become as intense, this will give us additional room for maneuver.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that the Pentagon is significantly reducing the number of troops it plans to send to Europe during times of crisis. At a NATO meeting last week, Alexander Velez-Green, a U.S. Department of Defense official responsible for policy matters, informed NATO allies about this reduction in troop deployments.
According to the current and former officials who spoke at the briefing, the Trump administration plans to reduce the military forces deployed under NATO during conflicts by one-third to half. This includes strategic bombers and other long-range strike units that the United States has pledged to provide, as well as some naval military assets and aircraft for refueling.
According to reports, the cuts announced by Belice-Green involve reducing the number of troops designated by the United States to be used to defend NATO during crises. This system is known as the NATO Force Model, which specifies the number of troops and assets that each member country must provide in the first 10, 30, and 180 days after a conflict or crisis occurs.
The partial withdrawal by the United States means that the military foundation upon which NATOs collective defense commitments rest will be weakened.
According to information obtained by the Sunday World, there are doubts within the U.S. Army in Europe regarding whether NATO has sufficient troops and capabilities to fully implement its regional defense plans.
Lütze refused to provide details regarding the United States plans to reduce military contributions. Last week, he defended these plans, stating that the United States contribution to the NATO force model was under discussion, as the United States cannot be present in all places simultaneously.
