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No Plans To Draw Down Us Forces In Europe, For Now

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Defense &
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The Big Story 

No plans to draw down US forces in Europe, for now

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday said the Trump administration doesn't anticipate cutting U.S. troop levels in Europe any time soon, but that could change later.

© AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

Hegseth, who was visiting U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, told reporters that while the United States is committed to keeping a footprint in Europe, "We would be remiss in not reviewing forced posture everywhere."

 

He also pressed that the responsibility of keeping the region free of aggression should not solely fall to Washington, D.C., and that European countries must increase their defense spending.

 

“The European continent deserves to be free from any aggression but it ought to be those in the neighborhood investing the most in that defense,” Hegseth told reporters. “That’s common sense. You defend your neighborhood, and the Americans will come alongside you in helping in that defense.”

 

For the time being, the U.S. military doesn't plan to cut U.S. forces in Europe.

 

"It would be the wrong planning assumption to say, 'Oh, America is abandoning something or America’s leaving,'" he said. “No, America’s smart."

 

Roughly 100,000 U.S. troops are deployed across Europe, with more than one-third of them based in Germany, according to the Pentagon.

 

But President Trump towards the end of his first term sought to significantly reduce American forces in the country over disagreements with German officials, a move his military leaders were able to slow walk and ultimately avoid. 

 

Hegseth's remarks come ahead of his participation in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO’s Brussels headquarters, which would make him the first major Trump administration official to visit NATO.

 

The visit is significant as many within the military alliance waiting to see how Trump plans to approach Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, including whether he will continue to fund Kyiv's troops with weapons and equipment as President Biden did.

 

And after Belgium, Hegseth plans to visit Poland as a part of the weeklong trip.

 

Read more on the Trump administration and Ukraine at TheHill.com.
 

Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.
 

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Essential Reads 

How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) said President Trump’s Gaza proposal is “deeply disrespectful” and “unserious.” “I thought it was an unserious proposal,” Shapiro told sports media personality Stephen A. Smith on his show, in a clip highlighted by Mediaite. “I thought it was a proposal that if he actually carried it out the way he said he was, violates international law.” “I thought it was deeply disrespectful to the Palestinian …
 

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On Our Radar 

Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: 
  • Vice President Vance was in Paris Tuesday at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit.
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will participate in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO’s Brussels headquarters Thursday followed by a visit to Poland.
  • The 61st Munich Security Conference will be held Friday through Sunday in Munich, Germany.
 

In Other News 

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

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On Tap Tomorrow 

Events in and around the defense world: 
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What We're Reading 

News we've flagged from other outlets:
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  • In one of the Marines' most iconic jobs, a stunning pattern of suicide (Military.com)
 

Trending Today 

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Elon Musk on Tuesday defended the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside President Trump, who invited Musk to speak and sat … Read more

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Opinions in The Hill 

Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill:
 
 

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