NBC News: Pentagon can withdraw half of its military contingent from Eastern Europe
The US Department of Defense is considering withdrawing ten,000 US troops from Eastern Europe, NBC News said today, citing US and European officials.
It is part of a contingent of 20,000 troops deployed in Poland and Romania in 2022 by the administration of Joe Biden, which aims to deter Russia. European diplomats warn that such a move could raise concerns among allies on whether Washington is committed enough to security in Europe.
Brian Hughes, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said President Trump reviewed the priorities of America in the first place. Seth Jones from the Center for Strategic and International Studies has warned that the reduction of US troops in Europe could interpret it as a sign of weakening deterrence.
The Washington Post reports that the Pentagon is considering the withdrawal of all 20,000 troops deployed by Biden. Former US Ambassador to NATO, Juliana Smith, considers it a possible scenario. Pete Heget, the new defense minister, recently stated at the Munich Conference that « American presence in Europe will not last forever » because the focus is moving to China.
Since 2022, the number of US troops in Europe has ranged from 75,000 to 105,000, with about 63,000 constantly stationed, most of them in Germany. The withdrawal could be linked to peace talks on Ukraine and Putin’s 2021 request for US forces to withdraw from all countries that joined NATO after 1997.
