Hegseth's plan for deeper US troop cuts in Europe blocked by Rubio and White House

A blocked announcement

Pete Hegseth had intended to travel to Brussels last month for a meeting with NATO's top military chiefs and unveil a new round of US force reductions in Europe. The cuts would have gone well beyond the already cancelled deployment of an armoured brigade to Poland and the earlier withdrawal of an infantry brigade from Romania, according to people familiar with the matter cited by the Wall Street Journal. However, the plan was stopped after it was shared with Marco Rubio, who serves as both Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, and other senior administration officials. Instead, Hegseth announced a six-month review of the American military footprint on the continent.

Secretary Hegseth has ensured that his message is consistent with the president's objectives and agenda and that he does not want to limit the president's decision-making margin.

Internal divisions

The episode reveals that the Trump administration has not yet settled on the pace and scope of potential troop drawdowns. While Hegseth and his chief policy advisor Elbridge Colby have pushed aggressively to shrink the US presence in Europe, the intervention by Rubio and others signals resistance within the president's own team. The Wall Street Journal noted that even Donald Trump was taken aback by some of Hegseth's moves, at one point asking the defence secretary why he was treating a valued ally so poorly. Shortly afterwards, Trump announced he would send 5,000 soldiers to Poland, though those additional forces have not yet been deployed.

Trump's pressure on allies

The president has continued to hammer NATO members over defence spending. In a social media post on Thursday, he wrote that the relationship was not reciprocal and that the United States spends far more than any other country to protect allies without receiving a benefit. Last year's NATO summit saw allies agree to raise their defence spending target from 2% to 5% of GDP, but Trump has kept up the rhetorical pressure. The Pentagon's January defence strategy already signalled a pivot towards the Western Pacific and the Western Hemisphere, tasking European countries with primary responsibility for conventional defence on the continent.

It is absurd for the United States to persevere in this unilateral path when the relationship is not reciprocal.

NATO summit looms

Troop levels and allied military spending are expected to dominate the agenda when Trump meets NATO leaders in Ankara, Turkey, next week. The gathering was already set to be tense, with officials hoping to demonstrate unity and support for Ukraine while fearing that friction with Washington could overshadow the talks. Some NATO officials are even considering scrapping plans for next year's summit in Albania, sources told the Journal.

Allied and Republican concerns

Hegseth's proposals have alarmed European allies and lawmakers in Washington, including prominent Republicans. Critics warn that a rapid withdrawal could inflict lasting damage on the Atlantic alliance and embolden Russia. The earlier decision to pull roughly 5,000 troops from Germany came after Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the US as having been humiliated by Iran, and the Pentagon also considered punishing allies that did not support American operations quickly enough. Hegseth has insisted the review will be genuine, telling reporters that Europe must assume primary responsibility for its defence quickly and irreversibly.