Washington plans to slash fighter jets and warships to NATO in Europe, US media report

Key Points:

• The US plans to withdraw deep strike capabilities from NATO allies, including long-range bombers (B2, B-52), missile-launching submarines, and aircraft carriers, as part of a broader reduction in military assets available to Europe.
• Fighter jets such as F-16s and F-15Es will be reduced from about 150 to 100, maritime reconnaissance aircraft from 26 to 15, and all eight aerial refueling tankers previously available to Europe will be withdrawn.
• These changes are being implemented within NATO’s Force Model system to "right size" US contributions based on current deterrence and threat assessments.
• European allies have been encouraged to compensate for the reduced US presence, with officials noting increased European contributions, while US President Trump has publicly criticized NATO allies for not supporting US actions against Iran.
• The announcement comes amid tensions in US-NATO relations, with Trump labeling NATO a "paper tiger" due to perceived lack of support from European countries during the Iran conflict, even as some NATO members and partners prepare to reopen the Strait of Hormuz post-conflict.