Trump and Hegseth weigh pulling US troops from Europe as NATO allies brace for payback

Key Points:

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will receive at least four options for U.S. troop deployments in Europe by November 6 as part of a six-month Pentagon review launched in June, ahead of the official December deadline.
• The review has raised concerns among NATO allies about potential significant reductions in the roughly 80,000 U.S. troops stationed in Europe and possible retaliatory measures against countries seen as unsupportive of the U.S.-Israeli stance on Iran.
• The evaluation process includes a key briefing on September 18 between the top U.S. general in Europe and Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, who will also update NATO ambassadors on progress in Brussels.
• The review expands beyond traditional access, basing, and overflight agreements to include space, cyber, and intelligence infrastructure, reflecting a broader assessment of allied support critical to U.S. global power projection.
• The Trump administration's strategy emphasizes transitioning to more limited U.S. military support with allies taking the lead, amid frustrations over some NATO countries' perceived lack of cooperation, especially regarding the Iran conflict.