WSJ: Trump officials reject Pentagon plan for further Europe drawdown

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth shelved plans to announce additional cuts to American troop levels in Europe after the proposal met resistance from senior Trump administration officials, highlighting ongoing divisions over the future of the US military presence on the continent, The Wall Street Journal reports.

According to people familiar with the matter, Hegseth had intended to tell NATO's top military chiefs at a meeting in Brussels last month that Washington was preparing further reductions beyond the canceled deployment of an armored brigade to Poland and the earlier withdrawal of an infantry brigade from Romania.

However, after the proposal was shared with Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio and other senior officials, it was abandoned. Instead, Hegseth informed allies that the Pentagon would conduct a comprehensive review of its force posture in Europe, a process that could take up to six months.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said, "Secretary Hegseth ensured his message was aligned with the president's objectives and agenda, and he did not want to impede upon the president's decision space."

The episode underscores continuing debate within the administration over the pace and scope of any reduction in US forces stationed in Europe. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO members for insufficient defence spending and has questioned the value of America's long-standing security commitments.

"The United States spends more money on NATO than any other country, by far, to protect them, without getting any benefit from so doing," Trump wrote on social media on Thursday.

The issue is expected to feature prominently when Trump meets NATO leaders in Ankara next week. Alliance officials hope the summit will project unity and reaffirm support for Ukraine, but remain concerned that disagreements over US policy could overshadow the gathering.

The Pentagon's defence strategy released in January signaled a gradual reduction of US forces in Europe as Washington shifts its strategic focus toward the Indo-Pacific and the Western Hemisphere, with European allies expected to assume greater responsibility for the continent's conventional defence.

Hegseth's earlier decision to cancel a planned nine-month armored brigade rotation to Poland drew criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, as well as concern from Polish officials.

Announcing the force posture review last month, Hegseth emphasized that Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own security.

"Make no mistake about it—this will be a real review," he said. "It will be designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defence of Europe."

By Vafa Guliyeva