The United States has informed its European allies of its intention to reduce the number of NATO aircraft and warships in Europe, the New York Times reported, citing European officials.
The plan includes reducing the number of F-16s and F-15E fighters from about 150 to 100, reducing naval reconnaissance aircraft from 26 to 15, withdrawing aerial refueling aircraft and reallocating a submarine, aircraft carrier, warships and strategic bombers.
Observers believe that this step could affect NATO's ability to carry out deterrence and surveillance operations, at a time when US President Donald Trump continues his calls for European countries to take greater responsibility in defending their security.
The upcoming NATO summit in Ankara is set to discuss the future of defense burden-sharing within the alliance, amid Washington's affirmation of its continued commitment to NATO, while calling for "significant changes" in its working mechanism.
Reducing U.S. Army Brigades in Europe
The Pentagon announced on Tuesday (May 20) that the number of US military brigades deployed in Europe had been reduced from 4 to 3, in a move that would bring the level of US military deployment back to what it was in 2021, amid increasing pressure from Washington on European countries to strengthen their defense capabilities and assume greater responsibilities within the continent.
The Pentagon said in a statement that the decision led to a "temporary delay" in the deployment of additional U.S. troops to Poland, noting that determining the final status of U.S. forces in Europe would depend on a review of strategic and operational requirements, as well as the extent to which European allies could contribute to the continent's defense.
Each U.S. combat brigade includes between 4,000 and 4,700 troops, according to a report by the U.S. Congress, meaning the reduction includes thousands of troops as part of a reassessment of U.S. military deployment overseas.
Poland at the heart of military review
The announcement came days after reports that 4,000 U.S. troops had been canceled in Poland, before U.S. Vice President Jay DeVance confirmed that the decision was about postponing the deployment, not canceling it altogether.
Vance said during a briefing at the White House that the troops could be sent elsewhere within Europe, stressing that the administration has not yet made a final decision on the destination of the troops. At the same time, he stressed the need for Europe to rely on itself defensively, considering that US President Donald Trump's policy is based on pushing European allies to assume greater security responsibilities.
Vance is one of the most prominent critics of European policies and the most skeptical of the feasibility of continuing the broad U.S. support for Ukraine, and he has consistently asserted that since his first term, Trump has been pushing to reduce European dependence on the U.S. military umbrella.
68 U.S. troops in Europe
Pentagon sources confirm that the total number of US troops permanently deployed in Europe is about "68,000 troops" according to data from the US Department of Defense's Manpower Center until December 2025, noting in other reports that the total number with rotating forces and maneuvers sometimes reaches about "86,000 troops".
Germany is the largest center of this presence, with between 36,000 and 40,000 U.S. troops stationed there, according to the U.S. and German defense ministers, and includes combat and administrative units stationed at strategic bases such as Ramstein, Stuttgart, and Wiesbaden, which are home to the U.S. Command in Europe and U.S. Africa Command. The number changes regularly, also according to rotations and military exercises.
With the decision to withdraw about 5,000 troops within three to 12 months, the number of U.S. troops in Germany is expected to drop to about 33,000, without a sharp decline in the overall U.S. military presence in Europe or a breach of NATO commitments, according to the Pentagon and Reuters.
These bases are of enormous importance in U.S. global operations, such as those in the Middle East: troops, weapons, ships, and planes are stationed, drones are manned, and wounded are treated.
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