Could US pull one-third of troops from Europe? What that would mean
US Pentagon is reportedly considering proposals for reducing military footprint across the Atlantic.
The United States is reportedly considering a significant reduction in its military presence in Europe after its allies there refused to allow Washington to use their airbases for the war on Iran.
US media reported this week that senior Pentagon commanders are expected to submit plans to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the coming days.
The news comes amid Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine and as European countries increasingly sound the alarm about possible sabotage operations on their territory; Germany accused Russia of a drone attack on an airport earlier this month.
A mass exit of troops and assets would be significant for Europe as it would undermine the US’s nuclear deterrence posture on the continent, said Ian Lesser of the German Marshall Fund.