Pentagon weighs cutting up to 40,000 US troops in Europe

September 18, 2026 at 12:01 PM3 min

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The Pentagon is considering withdrawing 25,000 or more US troops from Europe, with two officials saying the reduction could reach 40,000, NBC News reported on September 17. The cuts would likely affect Germany, Italy, and Spain, and could include aircraft, ships, and weapons. No final decision has been made, according to a senior US defense official.

Key Facts

NBC News reported on September 17 that the Pentagon is considering withdrawing 25,000 or more US troops from Europe, citing seven current and former US and Western officials.
Two officials said the reduction could reach 40,000 troops, about half of the US contingent in Europe.
The cuts would likely affect Germany, Italy, and Spain, where the bulk of US forces in Europe are based.
General Alexus Grynkewich, head of US European Command, is expected to present the analysis to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on September 18.
Final recommendations are to be compiled by November 6 and submitted to the White House, according to 1news.

Proposed Troop Reductions

The Pentagon is considering withdrawing 25,000 or more US troops from Europe, NBC News reported on September 17, citing seven current and former US and Western officials. Two of those officials said the reduction could be even larger, reaching 40,000 troops, or about half of the US contingent in Europe. The plan would likely affect Germany, Italy, and Spain, where the bulk of US forces in Europe are based. The proposed cuts could also include the withdrawal of aircraft, ships, and weapons from Europe. If implemented, the reduction would be the largest drawdown of the 80,000-strong US military presence in Europe since the end of the Cold War.

Decision Timeline and Analysis

No final decision has been made, according to a senior US defense official and two other officials cited by NBC News. General Alexus Grynkewich, head of US European Command, is expected to present the results of the analysis to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on September 18. The Pentagon announced in June that it was conducting the analysis of US military presence in Europe. NBC News reported that Grynkewich's report will outline four possible options: reducing US airpower, naval personnel, ground forces, or other assets, or repositioning some forces within Europe to NATO's eastern flank. Final recommendations are to be compiled by November 6 and submitted to the White House, according to 1news.

Transatlantic Relations and Rationale

The US is studying the large-scale measures despite NATO allies' warnings about the growing threat of Russian aggression in Europe, NBC News reported. The move could radically alter US relations with key allies and force European countries to forge new partnerships amid instability from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Since the start of his second term, President Donald Trump and his aides have insisted that Europe must take the lead in its own defense, backed by the US nuclear arsenal. They argue the US should focus on countering threats from China, Iran, and drug cartels in the Western Hemisphere. In recent months, Trump has sharply criticized European partners for refusing to join the US in the war against Iran.