Pentagon weighs pulling up to 25,000 U.S. troops out of Europe in largest post-Cold War drawdown
The Pentagon is weighing a large-scale withdrawal of U.S. aircraft, ships, weapons and tens of thousands of military personnel from Europe, with one scenario envisioning roughly 25,000 troops removed — about a third of the 80,000-strong American contingent on the continent. Supreme Allied Commander Europe Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich is delivering his analysis to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on September 18, with a final recommendation due November 6. Lawmakers from both parties and European allies have warned the cuts could embolden Russia.
Key points
- Potential reduction: roughly 25,000 troops, about one third of the 80,000 U.S. forces in Europe; one U.S. official and another source said the cut could reach half, or about 40,000 troops.
- Largest drawdown of U.S. forces in Europe since the end of the Cold War in the 1990s.
- Germany hosts the largest U.S. contingent (about 36,000), followed by Italy (about 12,000); cuts would likely also affect Spain.
- General Alexus Grynkewich delivers his analysis to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on September 18; final recommendation due November 6, with any withdrawal to follow.
- The review is tied to President Trump's 'America First' strategy and follows friction with several European allies.
- Past year: two rotational combat brigades withdrawn from Germany, about 5,000 personnel pulled from the Grafenwöhr training area (reported May 2026), and most U.S. troops in Estonia have left.
- A Republican in Congress called a 25,000-troop cut unacceptable, saying Russia cannot be deterred cheaply.
Why it matters
A withdrawal on this scale would be the largest reduction of U.S. forces in Europe since the Cold War, and comes as lawmakers from both parties and European governments warn it could embolden Russia. The review is tied to President Trump's 'America First' strategy and overlaps with reported friction between Washington and several European allies. The final recommendation is due on November 6, after which any withdrawal decisions would follow.
What happened
The Pentagon is reviewing a potential large-scale withdrawal of U.S. military personnel and assets from Europe as part of a six-month review announced in June. Most reports put the cut at roughly 25,000 troops — about one third of the 80,000-strong American contingent — though one U.S. official and another source said it could reach as much as half, or around 40,000 troops. The analysis is expected to outline four options, including reductions in U.S. air, naval and ground forces or other assets, and possibly the redeployment of some troops from Europe to NATO's eastern flank. Supreme Allied Commander Europe Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich delivered his analysis to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on September 18; Hegseth is to receive a final recommendation on November 6 and present it to the president, with any withdrawals to follow. The countries most affected would be Germany, Italy and Spain, where the bulk of U.S. forces are stationed. A senior Defense Department official and two other officials said no decisions have been made yet.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Both Ukrainian sources frame the possible drawdown as a risk to European security amid growing Russian aggression, highlighting warnings from U.S. lawmakers and European governments that it would embolden Moscow. They stress the scale of the cut — described as the largest since the end of the Cold War — and note that the affected contingents are concentrated in Germany, Italy and Spain. Both also underscore the link to Trump's 'America First' strategy and emphasize that the decision remains pending.
Where reporting differs
Sources differ on the size of the potential reduction: most reports cite about 25,000 troops, roughly one third of the European contingent, while one U.S. official and another source said the cut could be as large as half the contingent, or roughly 40,000 troops. The two Ukrainian-language reports also spell General Grynkewich's name slightly differently ('Grynkewich' versus 'Grinkevich').
Background
The current U.S. military contingent in Europe numbers about 80,000 troops, with the largest share — roughly 36,000 — stationed in Germany and about 12,000 in Italy. Over the past year the U.S. has already pulled two rotational combat brigades out of Germany, begun withdrawing around 5,000 personnel from the Grafenwöhr training area (reported in May 2026), and largely drawn down its presence in Estonia. The Pentagon announced a six-month review of the U.S. military presence in Europe in June; General Grynkewich is delivering his analysis of options to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on September 18.