Pentagon to Conduct Six-Month Review of U.S. Forces in Europe Amid NATO Tensions
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a review of U.S. troop deployments and bases in Europe, citing concerns over allied access restrictions and defense spending shortfalls ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara.
The U.S. Department of Defense will undertake a review of American forces and installations in Europe that could be completed within six months, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday at a NATO defense ministers’ meeting. The assessment follows recent statements that some NATO members have limited U.S. use of European bases for operations against Iran and have not met agreed defense-spending targets.
Hegseth described the situation as “shameful,” adding that denying predictable overflight access puts American service members at risk. He linked the review to the NATO 3.0 initiative, introduced earlier this year by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, which calls on European allies to assume greater responsibility for conventional defense on the continent.
The announcement comes as the United States prepares for the NATO summit in Ankara next month and as Congress expresses concern over recent troop reductions. In May, the Pentagon announced the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany and a reduction in brigade combat teams assigned to Europe, moves that surprised several members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. Senators Roger Wicker and Rep. Mike Rogers wrote that any significant change to U.S. force posture in Europe requires a deliberate review and coordination with Congress and allies.
Current U.S. troop levels in Europe stand at roughly 80,000, with congressional mandates preventing reductions below 76,000 without a formal assessment. A draft defense policy bill passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee would require the secretary of defense to submit an impact assessment 120 days before any drawdown.
Hegseth also criticized allies that have not progressed toward NATO’s 5% of GDP defense-spending goal for 2035, noting that only 31 of the 32 member states met the 2% target in 2025. Republican Senator Thom Tillis, co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group, acknowledged recent increases in defense spending but warned that the upcoming summit should focus on addressing capability gaps rather than reducing U.S. commitments.
