The U.S. on Wednesday said it will begin withdrawing troops from Eastern Europe, marking the first major reduction of American forces in the region under President Donald Trump's administration.
The move affects units stationed along NATO's eastern flank, signaling a strategic shift in U.S. defense posture.
According to a statement from U.S. Army Europe, the brigade deployed to countries including Romania and Poland will return to its base in Kentucky "without replacement" as part of a "deliberate process to ensure a balanced U.S. military force posture."
"Let me be clear: this is not an American withdrawal from Europe or a signal of lessened commitment to NATO," the Army statement said.
Pentagon officials told reporters that the decision supports the administration's broader goal of refocusing U.S. forces toward other global priorities, including the Indo-Pacific.
"We are repositioning assets based on strategic imperatives and alliance burden-sharing," one official said.
The White House emphasized that European allies must step up their own defense spending and contributions.
"We have carried too heavy a burden for too long," a senior administration official said.
The hope is that this reduction will prompt partners to ramp up their own security commitments.
Still, some Republicans in Congress voiced concern about the timing.
"Pulling back prematurely would risk inviting further Russian aggression," warned House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala.
At a briefing, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reiterated that force-structure decisions are the president's alone.
"The only person who will determine the force structure of U.S. troops in Europe is President Trump," he said.
While U.S. troop levels in Europe have already fallen from more than 100,000 after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine to around 80,000, the new announcement signals the first publicly confirmed redeployment to the U.S.
European allies offered mixed reactions. Some officials view the move as a manageable adjustment, given improved regional capabilities, while others worry it may erode deterrence on the Continent's eastern edge.
Romanian officials said the decision was "expected" and emphasized to increase national defense efforts.
As the drawdown begins, allies and lawmakers will watch closely to see how the shift affects NATO's posture and whether it alters long-term U.S. security commitments in the region.
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