The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth intended to announce additional troop reductions in Europe beyond those already planned, but the proposal was blocked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the national security adviser, and other senior officials. Instead, the Pentagon will conduct a comprehensive review of its European force posture over up to six months, according to the report.
The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegsgteth planned to use a NATO commanders' meeting in Brussels last month to announce further reductions in U.S. troop levels in Europe, beyond the already-cancelled armored brigade deployment in Poland and the withdrawal of an infantry brigade from Romania. The proposal was blocked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the national security adviser, and other senior administration officials, according to the Journal. Instead, Hegseth announced a comprehensive review of the U.S. force posture in Europe that could last up to six months.
The Zioneer reported earlier today, citing an OSINTdefender account, that Rubio had blocked Hegseth's plan for major cuts. The WSJ report provides additional detail on the scope of the proposed reductions and the internal opposition. The incident underscores that the Trump administration has not yet reached a final decision on the pace and scale of potential troop cuts in Europe.
These developments come amid a broader reassessment of U.S. military commitments in Europe. Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that the Pentagon was planning to cut the number of fighter jets assigned to NATO from 150 to about 100, along with reductions in intelligence and aerial refueling aircraft. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said the reduction of U.S. forces from Europe has taken effect, though specific numbers have not been provided.
2 developments
- StrongHegseth accuses NATO allies of betrayal, U.S. to review European troop presence
- DevelopingHegseth presses European NATO allies to end 'free riding' on US military
- DevelopingFT: Hegseth ousts Europe commander Gen. Donahue, retirement expected today
- DevelopingUS sources: Trump considers firing senior officials who opposed Iran deal, sparing Rubio
Source and signal
- Internal intake