US Pentagon to Withdraw Fewer Troops From Europe Than Planned, Reports Say

In brief

• The Trump administration's Europe troop review may end in a much smaller cut than feared.
• Reports say about 5,000 US soldiers could leave Europe instead of 25,000, mainly from Germany.
• No final decision has been announced; the review is due to conclude within weeks.

Scaled-back drawdown

The Trump administration's review of its military presence in Europe appears to be heading toward a much smaller reduction than earlier feared, according to Bloomberg. The agency reported that roughly 5,000 American service members could be withdrawn from the continent, rather than the 25,000 European officials had been bracing for. (Media: Redukcja wojsk USA w Europie mniejsza, niż się obawiano. Padła konkretna liczba żołnierzy – Gazeta) (Media: USA zmieniają plany w sprawie wojsk w Europie, ujawniono szczegóły. "Zmiana stanowiska" – Interia Wydarzenia)

The bulk of the potential withdrawal would come from Germany, while the United States would reinforce NATO's eastern flank at the same time. (USA zmieniły zdanie w sprawie Europy? Generał o skutkach dla Polski – fakt.pl)

Reasons behind the change

Retired Polish General Roman Polko said a smaller cut would be good news for Poland, particularly given recent demands from Russia. He argued that the Americans had concluded they could not afford to step back from Europe if they intend to keep a global role.

Timing

The review is due to conclude within a few weeks, and the Bloomberg report came roughly a dozen days before that deadline. Media outlets published their accounts on 14 and 15 November 2026. (Wojska USA zostają w Europie. Media: Pentagon wycofa mniej żołnierzy – Wirtualna Polska)

What comes next

No final decision has been announced. The eventual size of the reduction, and how it is split between bases and countries, will depend on the outcome of the review.

Read also

• Iran War Reshapes Pentagon Plans: US Troop Cuts in Europe Smaller Than Expected, Bloomberg Reports