Pentagon Launches Review of US Military Presence in Europe — Washington Wants Allies to Shoulder More of the Defense Burden

The US Department of Defense has officially launched a sweeping review of American military presence in Europe. The news was announced on X by Pentagon official Elbridge Colby, who is overseeing the process.

"This is a genuine review, aimed at quickly and irreversibly pushing NATO toward Europe taking primary responsibility for its own conventional defense," he stressed. According to Colby, the ultimate goal of the reform is to build "a stronger, fairer and more resilient alliance."

According to Defense News, this move follows a warning issued in June by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, who made clear to NATO colleagues that Washington intends to conduct a detailed assessment of its troop deployments and resources across Europe.

The outlet notes that behind this sharp shift in American policy toward Europe lies a deepening rift between the White House and its European partners. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized European allies over their response to the conflict with Iran, particularly their refusal to provide American forces with access to their military bases during the war.

As the publication points out, the signal from Washington has never been clearer: as America's geopolitical and military focus rapidly shifts toward China, Europe is expected to stop relying on the US "security umbrella." The Pentagon has already begun formally notifying allies of a global reduction in military spending, including equipment that had previously been made available for NATO operations.

So far, neither Hegseth nor Colby has disclosed specifics — how many American troops will remain in Europe, which units will be redeployed, or how the overall force posture will change. The Pentagon has also not yet indicated when the final recommendations from the review will be published.

Earlier in June, Hegseth said the review process could take up to six months, though it "could also be completed sooner." He noted that the US European Command would be involved in the process, along with consultations with Congress and US allies. The Pentagon plans to coordinate the review with General Alexus Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO's joint forces.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz