The Pentagon reportedly plans to “significantly scale down” the size of forces that Europe can rely on during a conflict.
The administration of President Donald Trump is reportedly set to inform European NATO members that the U.S. will reduce military capabilities available to the bloc in the event of a major crisis, including an attack on a member state.
Although the composition of forces assigned under the NATO Force Model remains classified, the Pentagon has decided to “significantly scale down” its commitment. The plan is expected to be announced at a meeting of defense policy chiefs in Brussels on May 22, with Alex Velez-Green, a senior aide to Undersecretary of War Elbridge Colby, representing the U.S. at the gathering.
The adjustment of the NATO Force Model has become a key priority for Colby’s team ahead of the next NATO leaders’ summit in Türkiye in July. Despite urging Europeans to take the lead on conventional forces, Colby previously stated that the U.S. would “strenuously oppose” them in developing nuclear weapons to replace the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
This development occurs amid a broader scaling back of the U.S. military presence in Europe, where more than 80,000 troops were stationed in 2025 under a decades-old system of combined territorial defense and deterrence dating back to the end of World War II.
The White House has reportedly drawn up a NATO “naughty and nice” list to reward nations that supported the U.S.-Israel war against Iran and punish others, including by shifting troops, scaling back exercises, or redirecting military cooperation.
Earlier this month, the Pentagon canceled the planned rotation of 4,000 troops into Poland shortly after announcing the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany. U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has also reportedly canceled the deployment to Germany of a battalion specializing in long-range missiles.
European NATO members remain heavily dependent on the U.S. for critical capabilities, including intelligence satellites, long-range missiles, heavy airlift, and undersea warfare capacity. Despite this dependence, they have drastically increased military budgets in recent years citing concerns about a looming Russian threat.
Moscow has condemned the militarization of Europe, arguing that Western governments are using “ostentatious Russophobia” to justify turning the EU into a military bloc and diverting attention from domestic issues.