A Pentagon review is set to deliver at least four force options by 6 November, as NATO allies consider the future of about 80,000 U.S. troops stationed across Europe. The Pentagon is speeding up the review of the U.S. military presence in Europe, with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth poised to receive the options for future troop deployments by early November. This move could reshape the American security presence on the continent and is being closely monitored by NATO governments, already pressed to take on a bigger share of Europe’s defense.
According to a Reuters report from 27 August, an internal Pentagon document targets 6 November for presenting Hegseth with at least four options concerning U.S. forces in Europe. The six-month review is scheduled to conclude in December. The review involves around 80,000 U.S. military personnel currently stationed across Europe, a figure also mentioned publicly by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte earlier this year. The document reportedly provides a detailed outline of how the Pentagon intends to reach its conclusions.
A key stage is expected by 18 September, with the senior U.S. military commander in Europe taking part in a decision briefing with Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby. This meeting aims to help define the options eventually sent to Hegseth. Colby is also anticipated to discuss the review with NATO ambassadors at the alliance headquarters in Brussels on 27 August. No final decision on troop reductions has been announced.
The review goes beyond just calculating how many soldiers should remain in individual countries. According to the Pentagon terms of reference obtained by Reuters, U.S. planners are examining whether NATO allies provide reliable American military access, basing, and overflight rights. They are also evaluating space, cyber, and intelligence infrastructure supporting U.S. military operations. Allies are being assessed on whether they have credible plans to meet NATO defense-spending commitments and if they can fill capability gaps within the NATO Force Model if Washington reduces some contributions.
A questionnaire sent by the United States to allies asks about restrictions on American forces, defense procurement, transatlantic industrial cooperation, and support for broader U.S. foreign-policy objectives. Responses are due by 28 August. This makes the review unusually broad, with the eventual U.S. military posture potentially depending on geographic, operational, and political considerations and allies’ defense policies.
European officials anticipated the U.S. to shift more military attention and resources to the Indo-Pacific for several years, with current uncertainty around the speed, scale, and geographic distribution of any reduction. Reuters reported some European officials privately fear Washington might already lean towards cuts, despite the Pentagon’s insistence on considering various possibilities. A senior Pentagon official stated that the administration is moving towards providing “critical, more limited support with allies in the lead.”
Washington has argued that European countries should take greater responsibility for their security, with Hegseth accusing some NATO members of “free-riding” and President Donald Trump criticizing European allies for relying heavily on U.S. protection. More recently, tensions arose over European support levels for U.S. military policy in the Middle East. According to Reuters, the Trump administration expressed frustration with allies that Washington believes restricted or delayed access during the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged American frustration but stressed that most European allies have cooperated with Washington. The review comes amid NATO’s European members increasing defense expenditure sharply. At the 2025 Hague Summit, NATO members committed to investing 5% of GDP annually in defense by 2035, with at least 3.5% for core military needs. NATO says European allies and Canada increased their combined core defense spending by nearly 20% in real terms during 2025. Prior to the Ankara NATO Summit in July, Rutte mentioned European allies and Canada generated an additional $258 billion in defense investment across 2025 and 2026, assuming more responsibility for conventional defense, the eastern flank, and support for Ukraine.
This shift supports Washington’s argument that Europe should eventually replace some U.S.-historically supplied capabilities. However, troop numbers alone do not capture the importance of the American presence, providing intelligence, logistics, air defense, command-and-control systems, nuclear deterrence, and other capabilities not easily replaceable by national European forces. Rutte described the American military presence as evidence of U.S. investment in European security while acknowledging that Washington expects Europe to take on a larger share of the burden.
The question facing NATO is not just whether American troop numbers decline. A coordinated transition could encourage stronger European defense capabilities while preserving NATO’s deterrence. A rapid or selective withdrawal could create military gaps or uncertainty over the alliance’s crisis response. The Pentagon seeks to consider the pros and cons of different force levels before making recommendations. This is crucial for countries on NATO’s eastern flank, where alliance forces have been reinforced since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, viewing the American presence as a military capability and a political guarantee of U.S. involvement
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